In which countries do they grow and like to eat buckwheat, and where does the best buckwheat grow?

Buckwheat is grown all over the world. In Russia there is a special attitude towards this culture: in no other country is it used so widely. Buckwheat is loved for its rich taste and rich content of vitamins and minerals. This is one of the best sources of vegetable protein with high biological value. Let's find out where buckwheat is grown most in the world.

World areas under buckwheat cultivation

The largest producer globally is Russia, where buckwheat is also a famous dish. According to 2018 figures published by Rosstat, 39.8% of global production cereals falls on the Russian Federation. The general analytics of the global cereal market, presented by specialists of the Expert Analytical Center for Agribusiness "AB-Center", at the end of 2018 is as follows:

1. Russia - 1,043.7 thousand hectares of area are occupied by buckwheat. Gross yields are 930.5 thousand tons. In 2019, the crop area decreased to 806.6 thousand hectares.
2. China is the second country in terms of buckwheat cultivation: 404,259 tons of grain.
3. Ukraine - 133 thousand tons. Local agricultural enterprises are forced to reduce their own lands occupied by crops and sow fields with other plants. The main reason for this is the export of cheap cereals from Russia, which jeopardizes the Ukrainian beekeeping industry.
4. France - this country has the highest buckwheat yield: 3.5–3.8 t/ha annually.
5. Poland - 118,562 thousand hectares are allocated for crops.
6. USA - the average buckwheat yield is 1.3–2 t/ha.In the country, cereals are used to feed livestock and make eco-pillows.
7. Brazil - 62,872 thousand hectares.
8. Lithuania - 49,922 thousand hectares.
9. Japan - 28,800 thousand hectares. Buckwheat is called soba here. The Japanese grow Tatarian buckwheat and process it into flour. Buckwheat noodles and sake are prepared from it. The remaining seed husks are used to stuff pillows.

The annual harvest of buckwheat in the world is approximately 2 million tons, most of which comes from Russia and China. At the same time, the volumes of imported raw materials to other countries vary from year to year. The supply dynamics are affected by the yield, which depends on weather conditions and the technologies used.

In the photo - buckwheat.

In which countries does buckwheat grow?

This grain is cultivated everywhere. Buckwheat refers to heat-loving and light-demanding crops. However, unlike other agricultural grains, it is capable of long-term growth of shoots, intensive establishment of an unlimited number of inflorescences (repairability) and survival among weeds. These advantages make it possible to cultivate the plant, which is present in wild form in India, in areas of risky agriculture.

World leaders

The largest leading exporters of buckwheat to many countries of the world:

1. Russia. The crop yield in 2018 was 10 c/ha per harvested area, which is 5.3% (0.5 c/ha) more than the year before.
2. China. 404,259 tons were collected. This country fully provides itself with an annual supply of the product and serves as the main exporter of cereals to Japan. A more comfortable, mild and warm climate contributes to good crop yields. In China, a smaller-fruited variety of buckwheat, Tatarian, is common. It is rich in rutin and quercetin and is used for medicinal purposes.
3. Ukraine. Up to 133 thousand tons of buckwheat are harvested from an area of ​​106 thousand hectares (98%) with a yield of 12.6 c/ha.The country is bigger grows cereals for imports into Kazakhstan than for export sales.

Where is it grown in Russia?

The largest agricultural lands occupied by buckwheat in Russia are concentrated in the southeast. Where does buckwheat grow most in our country:

1. Altai region. Here, in 2018, 495.503 thousand hectares of arable land were allocated for buckwheat (47.9% of all buckwheat crops in Russia), in 2019 - 462.056 thousand hectares.
2. Republic of Bashkiria - the area occupied by the plant in 2018 amounted to 90.8 thousand hectares (8.6%). A year later, the figure decreased by 37.3% and amounted to 56.931 thousand hectares.
3. Oryol region - 79 thousand hectares in 2018, 52.34 thousand hectares - in 2019.
4. Orenburg region - 45.76 thousand hectares in 2018 and 28.644 thousand hectares in 2019.
5. Novosibirsk region - 30.4 and 27.3 thousand hectares, respectively.

In 2019, the indicators of sown areas across the country decreased by 22.2%. Many agricultural enterprises came to this decision in accordance with the instructions of the authorities. This situation is quite expected due to the decline in the cost of buckwheat in the last 2 years against the backdrop of its overproduction in 2017 and 2018.

Reference. Northern India is considered the birthplace of the plant, where it is called black rice. The Greeks brought cereals to Russia back in the 17th century. This is one of the versions of the origin of its name - buckwheat.

Many farmers have reduced buckwheat sown area, occupying the fields with other, more profitable crops - rapeseed and oats. At the same time, cereals will not disappear from store shelves, but will simply increase in price.

Where does the best buckwheat grow?

There are several types of buckwheat:

1. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) has large, smooth fruits with clear edges.
2. Multileaf buckwheat (F. multifolium) is cultivated in the Far East and has small, wrinkled fruits with slight ribbing.
3. Tartary buckwheat (F.tataricum) is widely distributed in India, Thailand, China and Japan as a fodder and food crop. Its fruits are used to bake cakes, make bitter chocolate paste and herbal tea.

The best and most delicious buckwheat is large. Such fruits are usually found in tetraploid varieties. They are characterized by high yield and large grains with a high protein content. Known tetraploids: Alexandrina, Lena, Ilia and Marta. The main supplier of tasty and large buckwheat is the Altai Territory.

Where buckwheat became a popular dish

Most people love cereal in Russia. Boiled buckwheat serves as an excellent side dish for meat; it is used in the preparation of first courses, casseroles, vegetable and cereal cutlets. In Italy and Greece, buckwheat is called Turkish grain, and in France, Portugal, Spain and the USA - Saracen grain. According to residents of these countries, buckwheat porridge is only worthy of being used as animal feed, so the crop is cultivated to feed pheasants and deer.

Reference. In Western European countries, buckwheat porridge is considered a “non-prestigious food.” But in vain, because this cereal replaces the intake of meat for vegetarians and people following a protein-free diet.

Conclusion

For a farmer, cultivating buckwheat is beneficial for many reasons: the crop is not afraid of weeds, its raw materials are used to sell cereals, produce honey, and be used in medicine as a source of rutin. Over the past 6 years, agricultural land for buckwheat in Russia has decreased, and yields have increased by 3.3%. This is explained by the introduction of new technologies, the cultivation of modern varieties and the forecasting of natural and climatic conditions.