[Vladimirf7/CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons]
Farmers in the northeastern regional unit of Rhodope are turning to alternative crops like quinoa and camelina in search of stable incomes and more sustainable farming.
As traditional crops like cotton and grains become less profitable and more vulnerable to weather damage, local producers are looking for new solutions, as highlighted by a report on national broadcaster ERT.
According to Nikos Bodrotsos, president of the Komotini Agricultural Association, around 20 farmers have planted quinoa on 400 hectares, supported by a European subsidy of €62 euros per hectare.
With guaranteed contracts offering 50 cents per kilo, and favorable climate conditions, quinoa is quickly gaining ground as a reliable crop.
Less well-known but equally promising is camelina, a plant rich in oils and proteins, used for animal feed and as a biofuel additive for airplanes. Farmers have secured agreements with major companies, locking in a price of €47.5 per kilo, with the first camelina harvest expected in three weeks and quinoa in June.
Both crops offer exciting prospects, although farmers are cautious about the risks of relying too heavily on a single crop like quinoa, especially given climate uncertainties.
Once revered by the Incas as the “mother of all grains,” quinoa is now riding a global wave of demand, boosted by the growing interest in plant-based diets.
