BEIJING, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Every year in March, there is always a large rise in the sale of seafood products during the beginning of spring. This year, after experiencing a slow start due to reactions to the nuclear leak that occurred in Japan, the seafood market has finally picked back up. The seafood markets in mainland China costal areas have been fairly stable since then; however, experts predict that there will be a structural shift in the choice of mustard paste that is a must-have condiment for the majority of seafood products, in which Japanese-produced wasabi will be replaced by Chinese-produced mustard paste.
According to the most recent reports aired on Japan's NHK radio station, the area in Japan affected by the radiation continues to expand. Radiation levels of twelve kinds of vegetables grown in Fukushima county, including broccoli, spinach, and the wasabi plant (the root of which is used to make the mustard paste known in the West as wasabi) and milk produced in the region have exceeded allowed limits.
Sales in Spring Seafood Market Have Normalized
The China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Association stated that although shortages of Japanese seafood were seen in the short term, there was sufficient Chinese-produced seafood in the market, and current seafood prices are not significantly different from pre-earthquake prices. As the spring market has warmed, consumers have begun to vie for the season's first seafood products, and seafood from costal areas like Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian has seen especially high increases in demand in the Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asian markets.
Mustard Sauces: Chinese Companies Hoist the Country's Flag
Secretary-General Hao Huanqiang of the Beijing Federation of Industry & Commerce Aquatic Production Chamber of Commerce stated, "The market for mustard pastes like wasabi that are often paired with seafood products like sashimi may see big changes. It's possible that the market for Japanese wasabi will shrink significantly, and consumers will choose Chinese-produced mustard pastes to replace Japanese wasabi." Zuo Baoqi, a senior engineer with the China Condiment Association, also stated that Japan does not actually export a great amount of condiments, and that Chinese-produced condiments made from root vegetables are sufficient to replace Japanese-produced products.
One businessman who deals in seafood stated that there are two main kinds of Chinese-produced mustard pastes in the current market: one kind is the standard "Japanese flavor", mustard paste and the other is a 100% Chinese-flavor paste. The two kinds of mustard paste are different in that the former contains some ingredients imported from Japan, and has a strong texture, rich flavor, and Japanese-style packaging, while the latter is a simple, authentically Chinese product, the ingredients for which come exclusively from mainland China. This product has an intense flavor, and employs Chinese-language, Chinese-style packaging that is as different as night and day from the Japanese-inspired type of product. The Chinese domestically-produced mustard paste sells particularly well in Guangdong, and accounts for more than half of the mustard paste market in the country.
Orders Skyrocket: High Sales All Over Asia
Guangdong-based Jiahao Corporation is one of the largest Chinese suppliers of green wasabi. Company president Chen Zhixiong, also known as "the father of Chinese green wasabi", said that since mid-March, orders for Jiahao's Jinba Green Wasabi have shown significant growth, and that even products containing the wasabi ingredient like mustard oil and mustard powder have seen great growth, as has sushi soy sauce consumed with the mustard sauce. The rise in orders placed in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan have been especially significant. Mr. Chen stated, "Jiahao's Jinba Green Mustard Paste is completely different from Japanese-style wasabi: it is a very Chinese product. The mustard is made from 100% Chinese-produced armoracia root, and it is more pungent and spicy than its Japanese equivalent. The product is certified 99% antimicrobial by an authoritative testing body, which assesses the product's effectiveness against vibrio parahaemolyticus, a bacteria found in seafood that can cause gastrointestinal illness. The product has also been shown to promote digestion and enhance appetite. Although sales are booming at the moment, the company will not take advantage of the high demand to raise prices."
Wasabi, or green mustard paste, is made from horseradish, or the armoracia root, which is indigenous to Europe. Today, it is grown in China's Heilongjiang province, Changchun city in Jilin province, Anshan city in Liaoning province, Beijing, and other areas. A vegetable mainly used to make condiments, it is widely loved by consumers in Japan, Asia, and Europe. The root of the plant is extremely spicy, containing alkene third (base) thiocyanic acid (C3H5CNS), which has antimicrobial properties. In China, it has long been used as a medicine, diuretic, and stimulant. Research in modern times has revealed that it has anti-cancer properties. For more information, please visit http://www.jiahaofoods.com .
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