Abstract
Two consumer surveys were conducted using Florida grown lychees and longans during the summer of 2003. A third consumer survey was conducted using star fruit during the spring of 2004. These surveys are part of a promotional campaign for tropical fruits and were designed to determine how much south Floridians know about the production and availability of these locally grown fruits. Consumers were randomly selected in various public places and they were provided with a sample of lychees, longans or star fruit for tasting. The three surveys were conducted separately during the season for each fruit. When participants were asked, "Do you like lychees?" 84% responded, "Yes." When the participants were asked, "Have you seen lychees in your local supermarkets before?" 75% of respondents said, "No." A similar pattern was observed when consumers were offered longans and star fruits. When the respondents were asked, "Do you prefer locally grown produce over imported ones?" 75% responded they preferred locally grown produce. These results indicate that there is a need for educating south Floridians and promoting locally grown tropical fruit. The results from these surveys will be made available to tropical fruit growers, packers and shippers.
