Canadian farmers bank on wasabi, 'hardest plant to grow'

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Sep 26, 2014

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Canadian farmers bank on wasabi, 'hardest plant to grow'

At $160 a kilogram, wasabi is one of the most lucrative crops in the world. That's why farmers in Canada are hoping for a big payday from a plant that's not easy to grow.

At long last, I finally seen with my eyes: fresh wasabe! These nostril poking, tear inducing roots don't come cheap too...

Fresh wasabi. These nostril poking, tear inducing roots don't come cheap.

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C.K. Koay via flickr Creative Commons

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Wasabi on ginger alongside sushi plate.

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Steven Depolo via flickr Creative Commons

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At $160 a kilogram, wasabi is one of the most lucrative crops in the world. That's why farmers in Canada are hoping for a big payday from a plant that's not easy to grow.

If you've ever eaten at a sushi restaurant, then chances are you probably had an undesirable experience with a staple to the cuisine: wasabi.

This fiery, mustard-like condiment comes from a plant which grows along the beds of streams in mountain river valleys in Japan. Turns out though, it's not just grown in Japan.

At $160 a kilogram, wasabi is one of the most lucrative crops in the world, as the BBC's Kim Gittleson discovered in Vancouver. That's why farmers in Canada are hoping for a big payday from wasabi too.

Read the full story: Wasabi: Why invest in 'the hardest plant to grow'?