NOTICE: Hard copies of the Australian New Crops Newsletter are available from the publisher, Dr Rob Fletcher. Details of availability are included in the
Advice on Publications Available.Peter Desborough
Senior Research Agronomist
New South Wales Agriculture
Grafton, NSW 2460
Telephone: 02 6640 1670
Facsimile: 02 6644 7251
Email: peter.desborough@agric.nsw.gov.au
Adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) is an important, traditional pulse crop in eastern Asia. Major consumers include Japan, China and South Korea.
The seed resembles that of mung beans, but has a maroon seed coat and is usually slightly larger.
Adzuki seed is utilised in many ways in these Asian countries, but the most common is as a highly sweetened bean paste with a range of different flavours and textures, as well as sweet soups and desserts. Bean paste is made into a large range of cakes, buns, confectionery, ice blocks and drinks.
Good opportunities exist for export of adzuki beans from Australia, particularly to Japan, where many of these products are considered luxuries.
This has been reflected in the high prices paid for best quality grain.
Japan imposes import quotas each year, based primarily on their domestic production, leading to some market volatility.
Value-adding through paste manufacture in Australia would lead to more stable returns to growers.
Adzuki bean is grown in summer in Australia. It is considered more difficult to produce high yielding crops of good quality Adzuki beans, than such crops of either mung bean or soybean, but is easier than navy bean. Growers need skills in irrigation, weed and insect management to produce the best results.
Most adzuki beans are traded through grain dealers who may issue contracts and supply seed.
Harvested grain has to be stringently graded to produce a uniform and attractive sample, especially if it is intended for export.
The major part of the Japanese market is for the Erimo type, represented in Australia by the varieties Bloodwood and Erimo. A small, niche market also exists for the larger Dainagon type, and seed of this variety is now available in Australia.
Production of adzuki beans in Australia in recent years has been largely influenced by price projections, with approximately 1,500 tonne produced in 1994, 500 tonne in 1995, 1,500 tonne in 1996 and estimates of 2,000 tonne in 1997.
Low prices and long delays in selling the 1997 crop dampened enthusiasm resulting in very low production in 1998.
Japanese buyers of the Erimo type of adzuki beans look for large seed (12-14 g per 100 seeds) with red rather than deep maroon colour and uniform size and shape.
In recent seasons, prices received by Australian producers for high quality, graded grain have ranged from $A750 to $A1,500 per tonne. Growers feel a price less than $A950 is not attractive.
Dainagon seed must be larger (over 16g per 100 seeds) and is usually a darker colour than the seed of the Erimo type.
Little Dainagon has not been traded to date, so price trends are unknown, although expectations are for higher prices than those received for Erimo, if a market exists.
Japanese imports for quota grain mostly come from China for grain of lower quality, and from USA, Australia and Argentina.
Australia has an advantage over northern hemisphere products in terms of seasonality, since freshness is a positive quality factor.
There are currently no import quotas on adzuki paste into Japan, which makes value-adding in Australia more attractive.
Growing and marketing the adzuki bean crop is described in a 32 page booklet entitled 'A Guide to Growing Azuki Bean' by Graham Falconer and Peter Wood (1997), which can be obtained from:
Bean Growers Australia
PO Box 328
Kingaroy Queensland 4610
Telephone: 07 4162 1100
Facsimile: 07 4162 4706
Or from:
New South Wales Agriculture
Grafton, NSW 2460
Telephone: 02 6640 1600
Facsimile: 02 6644 7251
Any claims made by authors in the Australian New Crops Newsletter are presented by the Editors in good faith. Readers would be wise to critically examine the circumstances associated with any claims to determine the applicability of such claims to their specific set of circumstances. This material can be reproduced, with the provision that the source and the author (or editors, if applicable) are acknowledged and the use is for information or educational purposes. Contact with the original author is probably wise since the material may require updating or amendment if used in other publications. Material sourced from the Australian New Crops Newsletter cannot be used out of context or for commercial purposes not related to its original purpose in the newsletter
Contact: Dr Rob Fletcher, School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland Gatton College, 4345; Telephone: 07 5460 1311 or 07 5460 1301; Facsimile: 07 5460 1112; International facsimile: 61 7 5460 1112; Email:
r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au[
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GK; latest update 6 June 1999 by: RF