POTENTIAL OF THE MICROGREEN INDUSTRY IN MYANMAR AND CONSUMER RESPONSE TO THIS RECENTLY DEVELOPED MARKET

Microgreens have gained increasing popularity as food ingredients in recent years due to their high nutritional content and numerous substantial health benefits. Microgreens are edible seedlings, including vegetables and herbs, which are used, primarily within the restaurant industry, to brighten cuisine. On the other hand, they are gaining continuing interest, not only for their nutritional value but also for their attractive traits and commercial potential. The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether there is a potential for the microgreen industry in Myanmar and how the consumers would respond to this newly developed market. Post-harvest techniques, cultivation, and packaging of microgreens are evaluated, but its nutritional value, analytical methods, and bio accessibility are also considered. The paper is delimited to an analysis of microgreens, essentially concentrates on testing if consumers in Myanmar have a piece of knowledge regarding microgreens and its benefits, and it is based on a hypothesis that microgreen business is a market with a significant number of commercial potentials in Asia, and is soon to be a booming industry in Myanmar. Microgreens' nutrient contents, food safety, shelf life, packaging, and factors that could derail the plan are also discussed to lift consumers' knowledge and awareness in Myanmar. In analyzing the microgreen industry, which would be interesting to investigate is consumer demand, whether microgreen is doing a better job in the Myanmar market than other organic greens and foods.