In the last 30 years, breeding programmes for vegetable seeds specifically adopted for tropical conditions in South and SouthEast Asia were introduced.

The motivation for the development of these programmes was of course market driven, and followed the developments in field crops such as maize, where hybrid seed doubled yields, reduced labour costs, and was embraced enthusiastically by Asian farmers.

The increased availability of other agricultural inputs such as agrochemicals and fertilisers led to improved incomes, and a move away from subsistence agriculture. Demand for locally grown fruits and vegetables increased, thus creating market opportunities for farmers and seed companies alike.

With an appropriate market size it became viable for Asian seed companies to breed for the tropics, rather than adopt temperate varieties or market those from North Asia. A greater percentage of hybrid seed was thus produced, though incredibly the total planted across the region today accounts for a fraction of the 75 % of total acreage planted to hybrids in the United States today.