Preferensi Konsumen terhadap Atribut Kualitas Empat Jenis Sayuran Minor - Thomas Agus Soetiarso (Jurnal Hortikultura, 2010)
ABSTRAK. Keberadaan kelompok sayuran minor (under-utilized/indigenous) mulai terancam kepunahan karenadigantikan oleh beberapa spesies kultivasi. Kurang berkembangnya kelompok sayuran minor diindikasikan oleh atributkualitas yang dimiliki oleh komoditas tersebut yang relatif belum sebanding dengan kelompok sayuran prioritas, sepertikentang, kubis, dan tomat. Penelitian bertujuan mengidentifikasi preferensi konsumen terhadap atribut kualitas sayuranminor. Penelitian dilaksanakan melalui survai konsumen di Kelurahan Sukabungah, Kecamatan Sukajadi, KotamadyaBandung, Jawa Barat sejak bulan April sampai dengan Juni 2007. Pemilihan lokasi kotamadya dilakukan secara sengaja,sedangkan pemilihan kecamatan, kelurahan, dan responden ibu rumah tangga sebanyak 50 orang dilakukan secaraacak. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui wawancara menggunakan kuesioner terstruktur. Pada penelitianini komoditas sayuran minor yang diteliti adalah koro, katuk, labu siam, dan kecipir. Preferensi konsumen terhadapatribut kualitas sayuran minor dianalisis dengan teknik peringkat (ranking) dan diuji dengan uji Chi-square. Hasilpenelitian menunjukkan bahwa, preferensi konsumen terhadap atribut kualitas ialah: (1) koro: ukuran polong besar(panjang 3 cm, dan lebar 2 cm), warna kulit ungu tua, kekerasan polong renyah, warna daging putih, dan rasanyagurih, (2) katuk: warna daun hijau muda, ukuran daun sedang (panjang 4 cm dan lebar 2 cm), jumlah daun/tangkaibanyak, dan rasanya agak manis, (3) labu siam: ukuran buah sedang (panjang 12 cm dan lebar 8 cm), warna kulithijau muda, kulit tanpa duri, kekerasan kulit sedang, kandungan getah sedikit, dan rasa agak manis, (4) kecipir: warnakulit hijau muda, panjang sedang (18 cm), permukaan kulit halus, bentuk buah lurus, kekerasan buah renyah, danrasanya agak manis. Sayuran minor (koro, katuk, labu siam, dan kecipir) merepresentasikan sayuran murah tetapitermasuk sumber nutrisi berkualitas tinggi. Hasil penelitian ini dapat dijadikan sebagai dasar untuk memperbaikiatribut sayuran minor sesuai dengan preferensi konsumen serta upaya untuk meningkatkan potensi ekonomis danpengembangan komoditas tersebut.ABSTRACT. Soetiarso, T. A. 2010. Consumer’s Preference on Quality Attributes of Four Minor Vegetables. Theexistence of minor (under-utilized/indigenous) vegetables is beginning to extinct because they are replaced by somecultivated species. Slow development of minor vegetables is also caused by the product quality attributes of thosevegetables that have not been recognized compared to the priority vegetables, such as potato, cabbage, and tomato.The study was aimed to identify consumer preference on quality attributes of four minor vegetables. A consumersurvey was carried out in Sukabungah Village, Sukajadi Sub-district, Bandung, West Java from April to June 2007.Location of survey was purposively selected, while 50 household mothers were randomly chosen. Data were collectedthrough interviews by using a structured questionnaire. Minor vegetables included in this study were lima bean,star gooseberry, chayote, and winged bean. Consumer preference on product attributes of minor vegetables wereanalyzed by using the ranking technique and tested with Chi-square. Results indicated that consumer preferences onquality attributes for minor vegetable were as follows: (1) lima bean: large pod size (20 cm length and 2 cm width),dark purple skin color, crisp pod hardness, white flesh color, and delicious taste, (2) star gooseberry: light green leafcolor, medium leaf size (4 cm length and 2 cm width), much number of leaves/branches, and slightly sweet taste,(3) chayote: medium fruit size (12 cm length and 8 cm width), light green skin color, thornless skin, medium skinhardness, little sap content, and slightly sweet taste, (4) winged bean: light green skin color, medium length about18 cm, smooth skin surface, straight fruit shape, crisp fruit hardnes, and slightly sweet taste. Minor vegetables (limabean, star gooseberry, chayote, winged bean) represent inexpensive but high quality nutritional contents. The resultsof this consumer survey may be used as a preference-based feedback for improving the product attibutes of minorvegetables to increase their economic potentials.