Research shows Asian vegetables trending in the U.S.

According to a new study the popularity and marketability of asian vegetables in the Untied States is growing. Led by Rutgers University, with collaboration from the University of Florida, University of Massachusetts, and Penn State University, the study interviewed Asian-americans around the United states over the phone to find their preferences.

Researchers used consumer choices to test 28 cultivars at university plots in Florida, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. According to results, these cultivars were the most popular for Asian Indian consumers: bitter gourd, eggplant, fenugreek leaves, cluster beans, bottle gourds, turmeric, fenugreek, sorrel spinach, and radish greens.

Asians buy 2 and a half to 3 times as many vegetables as Caucasians, said Gene McAvoy, a UF/IFAS Extension Vegetable Specialist who participated in the study. “Growers are always looking for new vegetables,” he stated. “They want to get out in front of the competition. It’s been lucrative. For some medium-sized growers – that’s how they’ve been able to survive and even thrive.”

In addition, the population of Asian Americans has jumped by 32% from 2000 to 2011, according to the census bureau. Asians are expected to make up about 40 million Americans by 2030.

source: growingproduce.com