Wasabi cultivation, spicy business!

[MattV]

Did you know that most likely you've never ever tasted real Wasabi in your long Sushi-gulping life?

As perhaps many of you know Sushi restaurants use a synthetic green paste that comes in toothpaste packages instead of the real thing which is perhaps the most expensive vegetable in the market.

I still like the toothpaste cream, its taste and how it clears up my nostrils, but with the organic foods trend in addition to the already existing Japanese market, there'll be a steady growth in the demand for the real thing.

The reason I'm overtly posting this is because I'm not ready or planning to do this now, but I'd like to share and consider the idea.

Wasabi grows in rice paddies, and water circulation is key. Kiwis and Oregonians are already benefiting from this trend, but I have a more interesting idea.

Uruguay is South America's safest, most stable country, second most economically freest with increasing FTAs, and on its western regions rice is cultivated and there's plenty plenty of uncontaminated fresh water (the paper pulp mills are downstream).

The idea is to eventually associate with someone, hire a japanese agricultural expert or partner up with one, buy a small rice paddie and set up an ultra intensive operation exclusively for export.

That's it folks! It's just that simple

[alluwanted]

How expensive is this as a product?
And how expensive to produce it ?

[MattV]

It is VERY expensive as a product, highy valued at Japanese fanciest restaurants, hence the toothpaste substitute.
It could be as cheap to produce as rice, but it demands GREAT care and expertise. If you achieve that (namely the technical manpower), then the actual production process shouldnt be expensive. Also It demands certain very specific geographic conditions. India has them (but probably up north or at the ghates)

[allysa]

wow, looks like a great idea. Never thought that what I've tasted is just an artificial wasabi.

[zharlene]

I once had wasabi on something I ate and at first I thought they were trying to poison me. It takes getting used to, and then it tastes pretty cool with sushi.

[MattV]

wow, looks like a great idea. Never thought that what I've tasted is just an artificial wasabi.

Thanks
I've nerver tasted real wasabi either! I'm not sure whether it's less than 2% wasabi, or has no wasabi at all, probably the latter.

I'd need to buy a small rice paddie along with its employees, functioning but a loss.
Hire an agrononomy engineer (they're cheap down here) to learn how wasabi is grown, and to teach the old rice pickers to cultivate the vegetable.

I'm wondering that the initial investment may be a lot lower than I initially expected.

I wish Uruguay joined APEC. Currently researching the FEW links on Japan-Uruguay trade relations.

Then If I turn the land from loss to profit I could sell the whole business to an expat or anyone.