The yield of iron stick yam is very low, with an average of only 0.5-0.6 tons per mu (other yams can reach 1.5-2 tons per mu, and the yield of southern yam is higher). It is not cost-effective to make traditional yam slices (used as medicinal materials or soup in the southern market), so this variety was once uninhabited and endangered. In recent years, with the development of economy, the economic affordability of consumers in this province and their emphasis on healthy diet have been greatly improved. More and more people choose yam as an alternative food, and the relative advantages of iron stick yam are fully displayed, and the sales volume is increasing year by year. Nowadays, in many hotels and restaurants in Henan, cooked iron stick yam is listed as an essential high-grade healthy dish. Almost all tourists who travel to Henan will see the sale of iron stick yam in major scenic spots or airports in the province, and most people will buy some more or less to take back.
In recent years, especially CCTV's "Healthy Road" program made two special topics on Dioscorea opposita, and famous hosts and authoritative experts vividly explained the nutritional value of Dioscorea opposita, further expanding the market outside the province for Dioscorea opposita. Many consumers in Beijing, Shanghai and other places have learned about the unique nourishing quality of iron stick yam through CCTV programs.