TIFFIN, Ohio (AP) — A father and son are banking that a vegetable that grows like a soybean

December 13, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

TIFFIN, Ohio (AP) — A father and son are banking that a vegetable that grows like a soybean and is gaining popularity will become a big cash crop for farmers in northern Ohio.

They are looking for farmers willing to grow edamame, a sweet baby soybean that often is found in Japanese restaurants and sushi bars.

Most edamame consumed in the U.S. is imported from China.

But as concerns mount about the safety of food coming from China, there is a growing demand for domestic products, including edamame, said Charles Fry, who founded the American Sweet Bean Co.

“Chinese food doesn’t have the greatest reputation right now,” he said. “Importers recognize this problem.”

Three years ago, a Chinese food producer had to discard 2,000 tons of edamame because they did not meet new Japanese pesticide regulations that had come into effect after the soybeans were processed.

Fry is reaching out to farmers in Seneca County, hoping he can secure 1,000 acres for the crop.

“We’re going to plant every seed we can get,” he said. “The crop is already spoken for. We have buyers waiting.”

Edamame brings in higher prices than corn or soybeans, but it’s not labor-intensive like most commercially grown vegetables, he said. Unlike tomatoes and cucumbers, the crop requires no migrant labor.

Growers can expect to make a profit of $750 an acre, Fry said. “That compares to a couple hundred dollars for corn,” he said.

The beans are relatives of the soybean and have a meaty flavor. They are served in the pods, often chilled.

And they’re healthy.

The beans are low calorie and a good source of nutrients.

“Sales are increasing at double-digit percentages rapidly year after year,” Fry said.

Farmers who contract with his company will buy seeds from the company and plant the crop between early May and early July.

The company plans to harvest over 10 weeks around August and September using three harvesters.

“We want to put the region on the map in the food industry as a regional source of edamame,” he said.

Fry has grown edamame on test plots and found it grows well. “Now we need more growers,” he said.

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Information from: The Advertiser-Tribune, http://www.advertiser-tribune.com