Because they grew and were produced a long way from Europe, and shipping was slow, hazardous and expensive.
Most popular were spices and after that, porcelain, tea and silk.
They didn't necessarily want just the spices. The silk road brought common trade goods as well. Things like silk, hence the name The Silk Road. Spices were much in demand. The world had tasted the difference exotic spices made to common foods and demanded more. These flavors were not just used to enhance taste but used to mask bad tastes and preserve foods. The prices asked for the spices made the trade a lucrative business to be in.
Initially spices and then cotton cloth, silk, porcelain (from China) and later tea. Those were the primary products that were sought in Asia.
to find silk and spices
The goals were to be rich and famous and get silk and spices.
Silk, spices,and perfumes
Spices and silk
silk spices and perfume
spices and silk
Spices and silk
Spices and silk
mainly silk and spices and open trade routes
spices, foodstuffs, silk, and timber
spices and silk
The Europeans perspective on exploration was the find riches, discover new passages to Asia for spices and silk and to conquer land to become most powerful using imperialism.
Mostly, Asia had what they didn't....silk, spices and such.
They desired ,spices sugar silk and other goods .