CONSUMER AWARENESS, PREFERENCE, AND WILLINGNESS TO-PURCHASE BLACK WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) IN URBAN INDIA: EVIDENCE FROM COIMBATORE CITY

Abstract

The biofortified anthocyanin-rich wheat variety, black wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), was developed by the National Agri Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), India, and has the potential to combat micronutrient deficiencies and diet-related non-communicable diseases in South Asia. The nutritional potential of this crop is not fully understood, and the dynamics of the market on the consumer side are not well understood for commercialization in the urban Indian market. This study aimed to explore the awareness, sensory preferences, and socio-economic and perception factors affecting the willingness to purchase (WTP) black wheat in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Data were collected from 159 purposively sampled urban respondents with prior black wheat experience and analyzed using percentage analysis, mean score analysis, and binary logistic regression. Awareness of black wheat was high (88.7%), and 86.8% of the respondents had eaten black wheat, but only 48.4% would buy it regularly. The most common sources of awareness were television/newspapers, friends/relatives, and social media, and the most trusted sources of information were family and friends (56.6%) and doctors/nutritionists (38.4%). The sensory evaluation showed high acceptance of the grain taste (mean = 4.57/5) and high rejection of the dark color of the grains (mean = 2.59/5). Six factors were significant predictors of WTP: perceived nutritional benefits (OR = 6.16), brand reputation (OR = 4.80), healthy lifestyle orientation (OR = 3.86), price reasonableness (OR = 3.76), comparative health perception (OR = 3.38), and being well-informed about health benefits (OR = 2.19). The model accounted for approximately 84.4% of the variance in WTP (Nagelkerke R² = 0.844). The results offer practical suggestions for agribusinesses, food processors, and policymakers regarding health communication, branding, sensory education, and value-based pricing strategies to stimulate demand for black wheat.