Executive Summary
Buckwheat production in North America represent slightly more than 1 percent of world
production. In 2001 Canada produced 17, 000 tonnes, and the USA – 65, 000 tonnes of
buckwheat. However, both Canada and the U.S. are world’s largest buckwheat exporters.
Canada export about 50 percent of its annual production, and the U.S. exports 15-20
percent. The main destination for North American buckwheat export is Japan. Presently
Japanese market is narrowing down to 1,500 tonnes per year. Manitoba is the largest
buckwheat producer in Canada since mid-70-th. Buckwheat is produced extensively also in
Ontario in Canada, and North and South Dakota, and Minnesota in the U.S.
At the domestic market buckwheat is primarily used for human consumption. There are no
official records of the U.S. or Canada buckwheat products processing. But research shows
that the majority of buckwheat in North America is milled into flour, or processed into
groats.
Buckwheat flour has numerous uses in Canada and the U.S. It is widely used in pancake
mixes as well as in various breads. It is often blended with wheat flour for use in bread,
Japanese style pasta products, and some breakfast cereals. Although the overwhelming
majority of buckwheat soba noodles are imported to North America from Japan, there are
several buckwheat noodles producers at the domestic market. The largest of them is
Canadian Sobaya from Quebec.
Groats (or dehulled seeds) are widely used in North America in cereals and milled into
grits. Roasted groats, which are called kasha, are sold in whole and granulated forms.
Kasha is very popular product among ethnic European people and Jews. Wolff’s kasha,
which is the brand name of the Birkett Mills, is sold in all kosher food stores in North
America. The bulk of roasted buckwheat groats that is sold throughout ethnic food stores
is imported to Canada and the U.S. from Russia, Ukraine and Poland.
Buckwheat products are distributed mainly through health or special food stores, ethnic
food stores (Japanese for soba noodles, European and Kosher for kasha), large supermarket
chain and wholesalers, who supply buckwheat products to restaurants.
Although current buckwheat use is limited to soba noodles, pancake mixes, and kasha,
the potential for including buckwheat in other products (e.g. pasta, ready to eat cereals,
extruded snacks, and specialty breads) is tremendous. The nutraceutical characteristics of
buckwheat offer substantial dietary benefits to people with high blood pressure and other
ailments.
The nutritional characteristics of buckwheat place this crop in an excellent position
to be included in a variety of food products. New developments in medical research are
providing new avenues for consideration in advancing the utilization of buckwheat.
In summary, buckwheat is a popular food among different market segments in North
America. Continued integration of research across production, processing, and marketing
levels will greatly assist in developing the future for buckwheat.
Full Report
Buckwheat
Production in Canada - Market Report (PDF format)
Visit the MAFRI PDF
Files Help page.
- Letter of Transmittal
- Buckwheat Production in Canada. General Overview
- Buckwheat Export and Import in Canada
- Buckwheat Production in Canada by Provinces
- Buckwheat Production in the U.S.A. General Overview
- Buckwheat Export and Import in the U.S.A
- Buckwheat Utilization in North America
- Market Opportunities
- Works Cited
- Appendix A 1 – World Buckwheat Production
- Appendix B 1 – World Export of Buckwheat
- Appendix B 2 – Canada. Total Buckwheat Export by Countries (1992-2001)
- Appendix B 3 – Buckwheat Import to Canada
- Appendix B 4 - U.S. Import of Buckwheat Flour
- Appendix C 1 – Manitoba. Average Acres of Buckwheat
- Appendix C 2 – Canada. Census of Agriculture, 2001
- Appendix D 1 – Japanese Restaurants
- Appendix D 2 - Kosher Food Market in Canada
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