Red Queen Corn is a hot seller Red Queen Corn, also known as purple corn, is a new corn variety imported from Thailand. This is a type of corn with a deep purple or dark red color, which is extremely eye-catching. The shape of the queen corn looks quite similar to American corn. However, the corn kernels are dark red and mixed with a few purple grains. The outside of the corn is green, but deeper into the shell, dark purple-red veins appear. The corn silk is red. This corn variety has a short growing period.

Red Queen corn looks quite similar to American corn (Photo: Women of Ho Chi Minh City)

Red Queen corn can be eaten raw. Users just need to wash it and when eating, they will feel the fragrant, crispy, sweet and refreshing flavor. In addition to eating raw, users can process it into many other dishes such as salad, soup, sweet soup and smoothies. If you do not want to eat it raw, you should only steam it for less than 20 minutes or bake it in the microwave for about 3-4 minutes before eating, to avoid overcooking which will reduce the nutrients in the corn. Queen corn is not genetically modified but is bred according to a formula, and its origin has been tested and recognized before being widely planted. This corn variety was officially circulated, grown and produced in Vietnam in 2019. In 2019, some supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City sold red corn for 25,000 VND/ear. Although it is many times more expensive than regular corn, the product is still very popular. The price of Queen corn has cooled down, only 1/5 compared to the price a few years ago. Ms. Thuy (living in Yen Bai ) told Nong Thon Viet that she has been selling queen corn for 2 years now, and it sells very well every year. No matter how much corn there is, it is sold out because customers really like it, but the quantity is not much. Customers order a lot because it is cheap, has a strange color and is delicious. Currently, Ms. Thuy sells queen corn at a wholesale price of 5,000 VND/ear, 1,000 VND higher than last year. Customers buy by weight at 15,000 VND/kg, which gives them 3-4 ears depending on the size. A unique corn variety that does not need to be processed and is eaten like fruit . Another corn variety that can be eaten directly without processing but has a fragrant, delicious flavor like fruit has just appeared in Vietnam. That is the result of research by the Department of Upland Crop Research - Vietnam Crop Research and Development Institute (Vietnam Academy of Agriculture ).

Corn variety that does not need to be processed, eaten like fruit (Photo: HCM City Law)

Master Nguyen Van Ha, Deputy Head of the Department of Upland Crop Research, told the Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper that after nearly 7 years of research and development, the SSW18 corn variety that can be eaten raw was born. This super sweet corn variety is also known as fruit corn because it is milky white, soft, and has a melting shell. The SSW18 corn variety was selected and bred using traditional sexual hybridization methods, so users do not need to worry like other genetically modified corn varieties. Because it is grown for direct consumption, this organic corn is not sprayed with pesticides or plant protection drugs. The super sweet corn stalk is white, the corn kernels are not wrinkled, and are even in rows. However, with the advantage of high sweetness, the yield of this corn variety is not as high as that of waxy corn or non-glutinous corn. Through many experiments, the SSW18 super sweet corn grows strong and fast. The time from sowing to harvest is 70-80 days depending on the region, crop, and weather. The fresh corn yield is 10-12 tons/ha. Before being launched on the market, the super sweet corn variety SSW18 achieved 90% of the researchers' expectations. Issues such as soil quality, climate, and farmers' cultivation processes will continue to be perfected. Expensive miniature sticky corn is still sought after . In recent years, a very small type of sticky corn has appeared on the online market, so it is often called miniature sticky corn or mini sticky corn. Mini corn is only 1/3 the size of a regular corn cob, but each kernel is full and firm.

Tiny sticky corn attracts customers (Photo: VTC News)

Corn is sold for 4,000-5,000 VND/ear. Because of its unique appearance and reasonable price, tiny corn attracts a lot of attention. According to the seller, tiny purple sticky corn is a purebred corn variety grown by ethnic minorities in the northern provinces such as Son La, Dien Bien... and is not a hybrid or genetically modified corn. This type of corn is grown in harmony with the natural environment on high mountains, without using pesticides, so it is very popular with customers in Hanoi . Tiny purple sticky corn only produces one crop of corn each year, lasting from early July to early October of the solar calendar. The corn is small and pretty, the kernels are even, round, plump, and delicious when boiled. The flavor of this corn is delicious, sticky and rich, completely different from the corn varieties grown in the lowlands. With this type of tiny corn grown on the mountain, although the corn is small, the boiling time is quite long, about 20-25 minutes, covered. When boiling, add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to balance the water and corn to make the corn soft and delicious, the corn water is also sweet and fragrant.

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