Korea: Passionate farmer grows wasabi at home using DIY-system
Once the farm operates at full capacity, he expects to grow more than 25,000~30,000 units of wasabi rhizome, which roughly equates to 1,750kg of wasabi every year.
By Rebekka Boekhout
Fresh Plaza
Jan 9, 2024
Excerpt:
“Wasabi is one of the most expensive crops in the world as it sells for around 300 USD per kg. This price is likely to continue high, as overall demand seems to be growing at a good pace and the supply is somewhat limited,” says Hwisoo Cha, a passionate home farmer, and former investment analyst living in Seoul, South Korea.
As the founder of Wasabi Factory, Hwisoo aims to standardize wasabi farming methods for vertical farms and become a major wasabi supplier in the local market. The long-term goal is to expand the business into Japan where high-end products are consumed.
“There is a good chance that I can produce around 20 units with a minimum of 60g of rhizome by mid-2024. Once, I get more cultivation experience, I plan to change the environment and nutrition to make different flavors and maximize production. This part of the experiment is planned to start in the pre-commercial farm by the end of 2024 or early 2025.”
After getting involved with vertical farming through his former job, Hwisoo figured he should use his green fingers and built a ‘testing area’ of only 4.6 cubic meters (1m x 2.3m x 2m). His love for wasabi drove Hwisoo to kick off the first trials with the distinctive crop.
