Known as one of the most expensive crops on the planet, Wasabi, also known as horseradish Japan< /a> costs up to 250 USD/kg (more than 58 million VND). So why does Wasabi have such a “huge” price?
The main reason is that the production process is too complicated and difficult, making this “picky” plant very scarce in quantity and difficult to find. can be grown on a commercial scale.
According to research, Wasabi only lives in environment mountains in Japan. Therefore, Wasabi fields are often located on dangerous mountain slopes, forcing farmers to go They walked more than an hour along the mountain road to get there.
Because of this unfavorable terrain, they had to do everything by hand and use rudimentary tools to work.
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Inherently “picky”, Wasabi only grows in places with soil Ph concentration ranging from 6-7 and clean water sources such as streams. Because So the farmer created a natural filtration system with layers of fine sand and many different sized rocks to ensure the purest water possible. The most important thing is to maintain the water temperature Being around 15 degrees Celsius is the ideal condition for horseradish varieties to grow.
Wasabi does not grow like other plants; it needs a lot of water, but if it is flooded a little, it will die immediately. Besides, Japanese horseradish must be grown. Ban in a shady place to limit exposure to the sun and at a suitable height.
In addition, this variety is very susceptible to pests, so most large-scale farms Most of them fail, only a few can succeed with this type of “making money”.
It is known that each Wasabi plant must be grown for up to 2 years before it can be harvested. Each tuber weighs only about 300 grams. In particular, this tuber must be harvested after being harvested. Use immediately if left for more than 15 minutes, the characteristic spicy flavor will be lost.
According to research, most Wasabi on the market is made from spicy radish, mustard seeds and coloring products. According to statistics, only 5% of Wasabi in restaurants Japan around the world is made from pure Wasabi tubers because the price is too expensive.
Minh Nhat
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