Chinese and Oriental cuisine are of great interest to Americans despite the fact that high quality, authentic fresh ingredients demanded by Chinese cooking are often unavailable.

The market demand for specialty and gourmet vegetables continues to expand as more and more attention is given to vegetables by nutritionists, food editors, food suppliers, and restaurateurs.

Many vegetables are rich in fiber, minerals, iron, calcium, and vitamins. Vegetables have always been used in China for their curing effects and to keep healthy (Gu, Chen 1989). It is trendy to eat vegetables, especially specialty vegetables, and people are ready for a change.

North Carolina Oriental Vegetable Growers/Shipper List