Adzuki Beans

Azuki beans (or “adzuki” as they are often called in Australia) are a summer-grown grain legume popular in Asian cuisine. They belong to the same genus as mung beans but are larger and the seed pods are found in the top two-thirds of the plant.

They have been grown in Australia since the 1970s but became particularly popular with growers in the early 1990s when they attracted extremely high prices after the Japanese harvest failed.

The dried red seed is processed and used in many different ways in Asia including as a highly sweetened bean paste which is used in sweet soups and desserts. Paste products include neri an and yokan. Whole bean products include tsubu an, amanato and ni-mame.

Azuki beans can be profitable for growers if they are prepared to adopt the correct crop management practices to deliver high yields of high quality beans.

Although dryland farmers in the South Burnett, north-eastern NSW, New England Tablelands and Darling Downs successfully grow azuki beans, consistent yields are usually achieved when azukis are grown under irrigation. Azuki beans do not tolerate dry growing conditions.

Varities of azuki grown in Australia include Erimo, Dainagon and AR-1.