To speed downloading, this html page does not contain all tables, photographs or figures. To get them download a complete pdf version of this chapter from here. The grain resembles mung beans, but has a maroon seedcoat and is usually slightly larger. Major consumers include Japan, China and South Korea. The seed is used in many different ways in these Asian countries, but the most common is 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 grain from Australia, particularly to Japan, where many of these products are considered luxuries, which is reflected in the high prices paid for best quality grain. Japan imposes import quotas on grain each year, based primarily on its domestic production, and this leads 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 bean than of mung bean or soybean.