Revised December 2007 by Diane Huntrods, AgMRC, Iowa State University.


Overview
It is believed that buckwheat originated in China and was planted as early as 5,000 or 6,000 years ago. Its popularity has grown immensely over the last 40 years, but it still remains a minor crop in the United States. It is estimated that around 1 million acres in the United States are dedicated to the production of buckwheat annually.

Production
Current production centers in and around North Dakota, where approximately 40 thousand acres are harvested annually. Buckwheat is also grown in Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, South Dakota and Washington.

According to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, buckwheat production in 2001 totaled 205 million pounds, down 40 percent from 1991. The United States was the world’s fifth largest producer of buckwheat in 2001, with 80 percent of the buckwheat being consumed domestically.

Buckwheat is a relatively low input crop with relatively high yields, even in marginal soil. It adds nutrients to the soil, making it a good cover crop or rotational crop. The environmental benefits of buckwheat are difficult to measure; however, some studies have been done to show the cost effectiveness of using buckwheat as a double crop. Table 1 is taken from an article by John Pike titled Buckwheat Production in Illinois: An Analysis of Production Practices and Marketing Possibilities.
 
Table 1. Estimated Variable Costs per Acre for Buckwheat Production in Illinois
Seed (60 pounds @ $0.20 to $0.30 per pound) . $12 – 18
Fertilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . $  0 – 20
Machinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10 – 25
Labor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $  5 – 10
Transportation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $  2 –  5
Drying/Cleaning  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $  3 –  8
Total variable costs per acre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 32 – 86

If buckwheat was produced as a double crop, the main crop would cover the fixed costs and the entire buckwheat crop would only have to cover variable costs. Anything above that is profit. The study said, given this cost structure and using an average price of $0.10 per pound, break-even yields would be anywhere from 320 to 860 pounds per acre or 7 to 18 bushels per acre. Experienced Illinois producers reported that yields typically ran from 750 to1,000 pounds per acre, which would be approximately 15 to 21 bushels per acre.

Buckwheat grows quickly. Its 30-day maturity rate allows it to kill off most weeds that would compete for its resources. This fast-growing characteristic also makes it a good candidate for a catch crop where other crops failed and helps it fit well into rotations. It is quite economical to produce because it requires no pesticides and very little fertilizer. It virtually requires no care from sowing until harvest; however, preparation of a fine seedbed is very important. Buckwheat is typically seen as a cover crop or rotational crop. It can grow even in poor soils, and since buckwheat naturally eliminates weeds, it is often used to prepare the soil for organic crops. Not only will buckwheat suppress weeds, it can also add up to 3,000 pounds of organic material per acre when it is tilled back into the soil. 

Processing
Buckwheat is a three-sided, teardrop-shaped seed with a dark brown hull and is actually classified as a fruit rather than a grain. Seed size depends upon the variety but typically ranges from 4 mm at maximum width and 6 mm long to 2 mm wide and 4 mm long. The seed is made of a hull, inner layer and inside the seed coat is a starchy endosperm and the germ. During the milling process the hull is removed, which makes up about 18 to 20 percent of the entire grain weight. During the second milling, the middlings are removed, which takes away another 4 to 18 percent of the whole grain weight. At this point, light brown buckwheat flour is produced, and with more milling, white flour is produced.

The two major producers of buckwheat products in the United States are Minn-Dak Growers (North Dakota) and Birkett Mills (New York). MinnDak, which has the largest dedicated buckwheat milling facility in North America, exports 95 percent of its total buckwheat production as a raw product. The comapny wholesales their essentially pure buckwheat flour to food processors, so there is no MinnDak label on store shelves. Birkett Mills buckwheat flour is sold under the Pocono brand name. The most significant other buckwheat mills are Bob’s Red Mill (Oregon), Arrowhead Mill (New York) and Bouchard Family Farm (Maine). 

Buckwheat has traditionally been used for human consumption as well as for livestock feed. Most buckwheat flour is used for pancakes. It can also be used in baked goods but must be mixed with semolina or wheat flour because buckwheat lacks gluten. Another common product is soba noodles, which are long, spaghetti-like noodles and a staple in the Japanese diet. Cracked groats can be sold as grits, and roasted groats can be sold as kasha, a popular food in India. In Eastern Europe, groats are a popular dish also made from buckwheat flour. Manufacturers of beer and ice cream also use buckwheat.

Whole buckwheat grain can be used in poultry scratch feed mixtures. The middlings are high in protein and therefore are good for livestock feeds, such as hog and chicken feed. Markets have also been formed for the co-products of buckwheat. Buckwheat straw is higher in protein than grass grain straw but is lower in digestible carbohydrates. Flattened buckwheat hulls can be used as landscaping mulch. Buckwheat hulls are also sold to make packing material, heating pads, mattresses and lightweight hull-filled pillows, which are popular for firm neck support.

Buckwheat is known as a nutritional powerhouse and has much potential for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical possibilities. The human body can use 74 percent of the protein available in buckwheat. This rates it as one of the best sources of protein in the plant kingdom. It contains all eight essential amino acids, vitamin E and almost the entire B complex spectrum. Many health claims exist for buckwheat; for example, that it can help diabetics’ bodies respond to insulin. It has also been shown to help people who suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol and celiac disease. Buckwheat is virtually fat free, and the complex carbohydrates can also help to slow the development of obesity. An article published in the Journal of Apicultural Research and written by scientists at the University of Illinois-Urbana reported that honey collected from bees feeding off of buckwheat contained levels of antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, twenty times higher than that of other honey tested. Antioxidants have been shown to prevent many ailments including cancer, high cholesterol and heart disease. 

Exports
Japan is a major export market for U.S. buckwheat. Buckwheat is almost always produced under contract, and it is expected that it will continue to be due to the strong export market. Co-ops have been formed across the United States, allowing producers to pool their production to receive premiums for large volume and to save on transportation costs. Some co-ops have recognized the benefits of producing organic buckwheat and have worked to form niche markets for their product. Some producers have observed that buckwheat is popular with deer and are looking into it as a deer supplement during extreme winters. The world price sets a standard for local prices, but transportation can quickly affect it. Therefore buckwheat is typically contracted close to the receiving houses to keep costs down. 

The Northeast Buckwheat Growers Newsletter reports that United States food aid programs account for a substantial portion of the demand for buckwheat. The U.S. exported 1,900 tons of buckwheat to Honduras in 2003 in the form of food aid. In 2004 1,000 tons went to Jamaica and another 450 tons went to Honduras as a part of the same food aid program. Russia also receives buckwheat groats as a part of their food aid program.

According to the Newsletter, world supply is predicted to remain stable at 2.3 million tons. The newsletter also reported that the average price, over all grades and market, was $11.40 to $12.50 per hundredweight in mid-2004. The Bi-weekly Bulletin of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada predicted that world production for 2003-2004 would increase slightly to about 2.43 metric tons. They report that world buckwheat production has been variable over the past ten years, from 2.35 million metric tons in 1999-2000 to 3.15 metric tons in 2000-2001. Production decreased in 2002 and 2003. Over the past five years, 50 percent of the world’s production has come from China, 25 percent from Russia and 15 percent from Ukraine. World buckwheat production is mainly consumed in its country of origin. The average world exportation from 1997-2001 was 170,000 tons. China is usually responsible for 60 percent of these exports, and Ukraine, the United States, Russia, Canada and Poland account for the remainder. Approximately 55 percent of the imports go to Japan, and the remainder mostly goes to the European Union.  

Sources
Buckwheat, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

Buckwheat, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Canada.

Buckwheat, Alternative Field Crops Manual, University of Wisconsin Extension, 1989.

Buckwheat Growers Association of Minnesota - Local Minnesota growers organized a farmer-owned and farmer-operated cooperative in 1997.

Buckwheat Information, Cornell University.

Buckwheat Production, North Dakota State University Extension, 2006.

Marketing Opportunities for Grain Amaranth and Buckwheat Growers in Missouri, Ag Marketing Service, USDA, 2003.

Minn-Dak Growers, Ltd. - A North Dakota-based specialty crops marketing company.