Aussie farmers can reap rewards of strange vegie products

GREEN tea-flavoured pumpkin seeds? Yeah, we can grow those.

That's the verdict of researchers who say Australia is ripe and ready to reap the rewards of harvesting strange vegetable products.

A fresh Project Harvest report looks at new vegetable products across the globe including the pumpkin seeds from China, cauliflower chips in India and carrot-flavoured rice snacks in China.

AUSVEG spokesman Kurt Hermann said innovative product development could be a boom for Aussie farmers.

"With research showing that Australians aren't getting their recommended daily serves of vegetables, our industry has a huge opportunity to develop new ways of presenting produce to shoppers and increase consumption," Mr Hermann said.

"By presenting consumers with new products that lead them beyond seeing vegies as a side with dinner or a salad for lunch, the industry has a chance to increase its value and have a bigger impact on consumers."

AUSVEG represents more than 9000 Australian vegetable and potato growers.

Project Harvest is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia and the Federal Government.

- APN NEWSDESK