The Wild Vegetable Research Institute of the Gangwon State Agricultural Research and Extension Services has developed a new variety of fatsia shoot, "Daea," and started exporting it to the United States. Daea is well-suited to the highland climate of Gangwon, with thick stems and a pleasant aroma. It was introduced to the market under the brand name "Snowflake Fatsia Shoot." Natural fatsia shoots from Gangwon Province are expected to be shipped around April 20, while Daea, a mid-late variety, will be shipped around May 5. In conventional fatsia shoot cultivation, seedlings are typically grown separately and transplanted to the original field after one year. With Daea, however, the seedlings are planted directly into the original field, eliminating the need for transplanting. Fatsia shoots are known for their high protein content and abundance of minerals such as calcium and iron. It also contains saponin, which imparts a bitter taste and effectively lowers blood sugar levels. Fatsia shoot is also eaten blanched and dipped in red pepper paste mixed with vinegar, or cooked in a variety of ways, such as soybean paste stew, fried, seasoned with vinegar, and fatsia shoot pancakes.

The cultivation area of Daea is expanding and the variety is becoming more widely accepted by farmers. After going through procedures such as cultivation and variety registration at the Wild Vegetable Research Institute, full-scale cultivation began in 2022. Since that year, Daea seedlings have been grown and distributed to farmers in Jeongseon-gun and Hoengseong-gun, Gangwon Province. Last year, Inje-gun was added to the growing areas. Fatsia shoots are widely recognized as a healthy vegetable, and its production has recently expanded throughout the Korean Peninsula, from Haenam-gun in the South Sea to Goseong-gun in Gangwon Province. The research institute has proactively begun to develop overseas export channels for the new Daea cultivar.
On May 9, 2023, 120 kg of Daea fatsia shoots grown in Jeongseon-gun were exported to Los Angeles, USA, for the first time. Locally, it was praised for its excellent taste and quality. It is anticipated that the export volume of fatsia shoots grown in Goseong-gun, Hoengseong-gun, Jeongseon-gun and Inje-gun will double or triple this year. With full-scale export to the U.S., the Wild Vegetable Research Institute has begun extensive research on specifications, fresh distribution, and convenient packaging to meet consumer preferences.

Kang Sin-rok, CEO of GREEN FARM, is a pioneer who is fully committed to Daea. Kang transplanted fatsia shoots grown on his mountain to his field ten years ago. However, the mountain-grown plants were plagued by numerous bugs and vulnerable to pests and diseases, resulting in repeated failures. Daea, a new fatsia cultivar developed by the Wild Vegetable Research Institute three years ago, is a promising cultivar that addresses these problems. Typically, superior fatsia shoot varieties have large stems, a pleasant fragrance, and resistance to pests and diseases. Fatsia shoots are usually harvested one year after the seedlings are planted, with full harvesting beginning in the 3rd to 4th year. Although the lifespan of fatsia shoots varies from seedling to seedling, Daea remains healthy even after 8-9 years. Kang is the first farmer to cultivate this new fatsia shoot variety, Daea, in full scale.

Kang expects to harvest 12,000 fatsia shoots this year, the equivalent of two pallets. Each pallet weighs 120 kg, and the plan is to export four pallets to the United States next year. Seedling production has also been increased to 100,000 plants, with 1,200 shares allocated to Samcheok City. The cultivation area for Daea will be expanded from three counties to three counties and one city. With so many farmers requesting seedlings from all over, their orders cannot be fulfilled all at once. Therefore, approximately 100,000 plants need to be grown through mass production to export about 20 pallets. Active cooperation with the Wild Vegetable Research Institute is underway to expand seedling production and supply to farmers, with the goal of continuously increasing exports.