Wasabi heats up mountain prosperity

KUNMING — As diners relish the delicate flavors of fresh sashimi in Japanese restaurants, the wasabi accompanying each bite may have originated in the remote Wumeng Mountains of Southwest China's Yunnan province.

Reaching the wasabi base in Weixin county takes a long and winding route, starting with a high-speed train from Kunming, the provincial capital, followed by a car ride through misty, rugged terrain.

At the base, under black nets, lush green wasabi plants thrive. Every part of the plant, from leaf to root, is sold under prearranged export agreements with buyers from Japan and South Korea.

Wasabi, a perennial herb prized for its pungent root that is used to make the famous condiment, is notoriously difficult to cultivate. It thrives only in cool, humid climates, shuns heat and direct sunlight, and requires precise altitude and water conditions. The root takes two to three years to mature before it can be harvested.

In Japan, top-grade wasabi roots can fetch 1,200 yuan ($169) per kilogram, and supply still cannot meet demand.

Weixin county, located on the northern edge of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, offers a nearly ideal environment. With abundant rainfall, lush vegetation, an average annual temperature of 13.6 C, and high humidity, its conditions resemble those of Shizuoka, Japan's famous wasabi production area.

Weixin first successfully cultivated wasabi in 1997. In 2022, the local government invited Jinkui Agriculture (Yunnan) Co Ltd to build a wasabi industrial park. The facility now operates six production lines for processing, powdering, freezing and extracting, producing over 100 metric tons of wasabi and related products annually.

"We've developed wasabi paste, dried wasabi flakes, soypickled flower stalks, and more," says Zhu Junya, the company's director, noting that their products are sold in cities like Shanghai and exported to 68 countries and regions.

Wasabi is also bringing new opportunities to farmers in the remote mountains. In the past, many residents in Weixin relied on growing corn and tobacco, which produced unstable harvests and low incomes. Now, with the wasabi industry taking root, more are turning to this high-value crop.

Weixin has developed more than 230 hectares of wasabi-planting bases. The industry has created 1,200 local jobs, increasing the average household's annual income by 6,200 yuan.

"At my age, it's hard to find work. Now, I can work right in the wasabi base near my home, earning 120 yuan a day," says Shu Rongxian, a 70-year-old from Zhaling village.

Scientific support is also boosting the booming industry. Yang Yongwen, deputy director of Weixin's agricultural specialty industry development center, explains that the county is collaborating with universities and research institutes to select high-quality seeds, develop new wasabi products, and establish full supply chain traceability.

Yang notes that they have also established a wasabi association, bringing over 30 local enterprises and cooperatives from across the supply chain to build an integrated production and marketing system.

Weixin is not the only one tapping into the wasabi boom. Neighboring areas, such as Baoshan, Dali and Zhenxiong, are also cultivating wasabi.

Beyond its traditional role alongside sashimi and sushi, innovative chefs and food bloggers are incorporating it into local dishes, such as wasabi tofu rice noodles, wasabi-grilled fish, and even coconut-wasabi ice cream.