(submitted photo/University of Saskatchewan)

By Alice McFarlane

Purple Wheat

Purple wheat a new option for farmers

Jun 1, 2020 | 5:41 PM

Saskatchewan-grown purple wheat is a small but interesting niche market.

Purple wheat can be found in everything from baked goods, granola bars, crackers, noodles and vodka.

Bill Hetland of Hetland Seeds at Naicam, was one of the first to grow purple wheat developed at the University of Saskatchewan from ancient wheat strains originating from Ethiopia.

He said it has an unmistakable colouring.

“It’s a deep purple. You can see if you put it on a table. You can pick the kernels out because of their distinctive colouring. It’s a softer wheat.”

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Hetland has sampled bread made from purple wheat. He said it has a unique malt taste. It is also high in anthocyanins which is an ingredient found in other food items like blueberries.

“Anthocyanins is a health trait that consumers are going to want because everyone is interested in healthy food products,” he said.

Hetland said the crop offers farmers several advantages.

“We’re hoping this will give farmers a little more choice in the marketplace and it will grow enough to be a sustainable marketing variety for Western Canadian farmers,” he said.

Hetland said there are similarities to wheat varieties currently on the market.

“Yield is very similar to other Prairie spring wheat with cost of production pretty much the same. The disease package is getting better thanks to the work of Pierre Hucl at the Crop Development Centre (CDC),” he said.

Hetland said although there are already several items on grocery store shelves, finding new uses and new markets continues to be a priority.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF