Quinua Real is an appellation of origin

By Orpan

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) finally granted the appellation of origin (AO) Quinua Real (or Royal Quinoa) for Bolivian quinoa producers.

The announced was made by the Ministry of Productive Development and Plural Economy and the National Intellectual Property Service (Senapi). “This is the result of hard work and finally, after a 14 year process, we can now announce to the nutritional virtues of the quinoa and its value as a 100 percent Bolivian food,” Senapi stated in a press release. "As Senapi we are going to continue working and contributing to the productive development of our country,” the press release added.

Quinua Real is a variety of the plant found only in the areas around the Uyuni’s Salt Flats and Coipasa, on the south of Bolivia at altitudes above 3.600m. The methods used for the cultivation are the same that were used by the Incas for thousands of years: soil preparation is fully manual, it’s fertilized with llama dung and pests are controlled using extracts of indigenous plants. Royal Quinoa is sought after for its size, excellent texture, and its superior flour for pastas and baked goods.