Value perception and consumption of indigenous vegetables

Awareness of safety and healthy food is continuously increasing nowadays. Indigenous vegetables are the one of many choices influencing on consumption decision making of local people because they are readily available food source in rural areas. Moreover, they are nutritious and have medicinal properties being beneficial in the treatment of various diseases. In fact, the more understanding of indigenous vegetables value of the consumers, the more utilizing them for their health. Thus, the purposes of this paper are to evaluate value perceptions of indigenous vegetables and to analyze factors affecting indigenous vegetable consumption of 300 samples in Sansai Luang sub-district, Sansai district, Chiang Mai province. The result indicates that the respondents have recognized the value of indigenous vegetables in the moderate level. Furthermore, the determinants dealing with health care concern, food expenses and medicinal properties perception have significantly positive effect on consumption whereas taste of vegetables has negative effect on it. The findings of this paper are useful for creating the campaign to enhance indigenous vegetables consumption bringing about healthy people in the selected area and helpful for expanding the similar promotion in other areas.