Aussie’s top 10 favourite vegetables
When it comes down to buying fresh greens, Australians are buying carrots, lettuce, potato and tomato, twice as much as any other vegetable. The data comes from a new quarterly report by Australian Vegetable Industry (AUSVEG).
Chief Executive Officer of AUSVEG Richard Mulcahy said the reports are designed to get behind consumer preferences and help vegetable growers make easier product development decisions that better respond to consumer needs in future.
“Understanding the industry as it moves from pasture to plate is extremely important as it gives growers the opportunity to see the industry and the market from an overall perspective,” Mr Mulcahy said.
“By analysing market performance for different vegetable types, Australian growers become better equipped to respond to consumer needs. The objective of the report is to make vegetable growing businesses more responsive to what the market wants.”
The report, VEGINSIGHTS: The Market Q4 2009, has been produced by freshlogic as part of the Vegetable Industry Development Program (VIDP) and is a first for the industry, analysing trends in the consumer behaviour, advertising and market performance.
AUSVEG represents the interests of over 9,000 Australian vegetable and potato growers. The Australian vegetable industry employs 30,000 Australians.
The Market which profiled consumer behaviour from October-December 2009 revealed that 58 per cent of households purchased carrots and potatoes in the December quarter, meaning they were in the top four vegetables purchased, with onions following closely behind at 54 per cent.
While lettuce was also purchased by 58 per cent of households, double the amount of females to males purchased lettuce in the December quarter.
Capsicum, mushroom, broccoli, pumpkin and zucchini also made the top 10, however, all were purchased by less than 40 per cent of the households surveyed.
“Understanding the most popular vegetables with consumers, helps growers to plan their harvest seasons ahead. A better understanding of the vegetable market not only supports the industry but also helps growers to understand and fill any gaps in the market, ensuring that consumers have a steady supply of quality fresh products,” Mr Mulcahy said.
