FOCUS ON CHINESE CABBAGE *
(Brassica rapa var. pekinensis)

Chinese cabbage is available all year round with the main supply period between May and August. The total area dedicated to Chinese cabbage production is 323 hectares *. In deciding to grow Chinese cabbage it is important to have a market as local demand is limited. There are two main types of Chinese cabbage: hearted or wong bok type and the rocket or michihili type. The wong bok type is short, barrel-shaped with large compact heads. The michihili or rocket type is cylindrical with long erect leaves forming a compact but tapering head.

* Source: The Australian Horticultural Statistics Handbook, 1996/97.

* [For additional information see also our Vegetable Thesaurus]

Australian-Chinese cabbage production by state [tonnes] *

* Source: ABS

Suggested Chinese cabbage cultivars for late summer/autumn plantings

Victoria:

Greg Hayes (03 5731 1222), Rob Dimsey (03 5152 0600),
Murat Top (03 5833 5222), Stephen Moore (03 5226 4667)

This list is based on the harvestable yield and marketable percentage after harvest and cool storage, for cultivars evaluated in the 1997 production season. The recommendation for East Gippsland also uses results of 1994-96 trial results.

Note that all the varieties listed above are of wong bok (barrel-shaped) types except for Green Rocket which is a michihili (long, cylindrical) type.
Chinese cabbage can also be grown in south-west Victoria but as cultivars were not trialed extensively in the region no suggestions have been made except Manoko for an April planting.

* The recommendation of Green Rocket for the March planting is only included because there are no better options available at this time. At this time it is clearly at the limit of its production period and marketable percentage will be relatively low in comparison with the wong bok types.

New South Wales:

Leigh James (045 770 622), Vong Nguyen (043 481 927)
Mark Hickey (069 512 611)

Chinese cabbage is mainly grown in the West of Sydney - Hawkesbury and Bathurst. It is grown all year round with the exception of January and February. The main varieties grown are:

A statewide one-year project investigating Korean varieties suitable for pickling started in October 1997.

Queensland:

Chinese cabbage industry spokesperson

Mainly grown in the Lockyer Valley and the Granite belt from May to August.

Western Australia:

Allan McKay and Dennis Phillips ( 08 9368 3333)

Most varieties will produce firm heads when sown between January and early March in Manjimup or between February and late March in Perth.

PICK FROM THE BOOK SHELF

In each newsletter we will present a brief summary on one of RIRDC's publications on Asian Foods. This month's issue looks at

Market Opportunities for Fresh and Processed Asian Vegetables
Dr Chris Pan, RIRDC Research Paper 95/14, $45 ($6 p&h) 117 pages, colour plates

Identifies specific market opportunities for Asian vegetables in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, particularly value-added products such as fresh cut, frozen, pickled and dehydrated products. Includes product range, presentation and retail price details.

The book can be purchased from
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)
P O Box 4776, Kingston, ACT 2600, Phone: (02) 6272 4539, Fax: (02) 6272 5877
Webpage: http://www.rirdc.gov.au/

For more RIRDC publications see our 'Asian Foods' Newsletter.