Arctic Ginger and Arctic Turmeric – the World’s Northernmost Root Crop Farm
At approximately 61° north latitude in Eastern Finland, on the border region of South Karelia and South Savo, lies Poutasen Puutarha – one of the northernmost places in the world where ginger and turmeric are grown commercially. Here, tropical root crops grow in a modern greenhouse surrounded by Arctic nature.
This unique combination has given rise to the concepts of Arctic ginger and Arctic turmeric.
Arctic Ginger and Arctic Turmeric
At Poutasen Puutarha, Arctic ginger and Arctic turmeric are grown in a modern greenhouse of approximately 2,500 square metres. Growing tropical plants this far north requires precise climate control, but it also makes fully controlled growing conditions possible.
The cultivation takes place without synthetic pesticides, and irrigation is carried out using mineral-rich natural spring water.
Arctic Purity Can Be Seen in Nature
The purity of the growing environment is also visible in the surrounding nature. The greenhouse irrigation water is home to the Finnish salamander, which thrives only in clean waters.
In the forest behind the greenhouses, a colony of Siberian jays nests – a signature species of northern forests, known for its sensitivity to environmental changes.
The Cultivation of Finland-Grown Arctic Ginger Begins in Controlled Conditions
At Poutasen Puutarha, the growth of Finland-grown Arctic ginger begins in a five-level vertical seedling system, where the first stages of development proceed under carefully controlled conditions.
In the next stages of growth, Finland-grown Arctic ginger is cultivated in ridge-based growing beds.
How Arctic Ginger Differs from Imported Ginger
Most of the ginger used in Europe is imported. The roots pass through a long logistics chain and often arrive weeks or months after harvest.
Arctic ginger at Poutasen Puutarha is harvested just before delivery. The short distance from greenhouse to use means genuinely fresh root.
From Cultivation to Refinement
The plants grown at Poutasen Puutarha also form the foundation of Arctic Elixir® products. The refining process includes CO₂ extraction, which isolates aromatic oils and bioactive compounds cleanly.
This connects cultivation, technology and botanical expertise while preserving the qualities of the raw materials.
Poutasen Puutarha’s Long Cultivation Heritage
At Poutasen Puutarha, cultivation expertise has been built over decades. Traditional Finnish greenhouse cultivation has been combined with modern technology and new specialty crops such as Arctic ginger and Arctic turmeric.
The clean nature of Eastern Finland, a strong cultivation heritage, and high technology have together created an environment where tropical root crops can grow in Arctic conditions.
Questions and Answers
How does Finland-grown Arctic ginger differ from imported ginger?
Finland-grown Arctic ginger is not the same raw material from a different address, but something built differently from the very beginning. At Poutasen Puutarha, ginger is grown in Eastern Finland at approximately 61° north latitude under precisely controlled conditions, while much of imported ginger passes through a long chain of transport, handling, and storage before it is used. In the case of ginger, this matters because growing conditions, light, day length, stage of development, and storage have been shown to affect yield as well as the aromatic and qualitative profile. That is why the difference comes from freshness, controlled cultivation, precisely known harvest timing, and a fully transparent raw material chain.
What kind of growing conditions does ginger require?
Ginger thrives in warm, evenly humid, and stable growing conditions. A high-quality harvest requires temperature, humidity, irrigation, the root zone, and the light environment to work together throughout the growing season. That is exactly why Poutasen Puutarha’s strength lies in the fact that these conditions are built precisely from the start. In research, a longer 16-hour light period increased the number of ginger rhizomes, the weight of individual rhizomes, and total yield compared to a 12-hour period, which directly supports the fact that a controlled cultivation model also affects the quality of the final result.
Why does approximately 61° north latitude make this exceptional?
Because the commercial cultivation of a tropical root crop this far north is not a typical starting point. Approximately 61° north latitude makes the difference immediately concrete: this is not only about ginger, but about Finland-grown Arctic ginger, whose cultivation is based on expertise, control, and a precisely built production model. When growing conditions directly affect the formation of the ginger harvest, success this far north is built specifically on controlled cultivation.
Why is a short raw material chain such a major advantage?
Because ginger also changes after harvest. During postharvest storage, the synthesis of ginger’s volatile aroma compounds weakens, which is reflected in freshness, aroma, taste, and the overall quality profile. When the raw material does not pass through a long chain, but is harvested close to use and refinement, its natural character is preserved in a completely different way. That is why Finland-grown Arctic ginger is already a premium product in its own right as fresh ginger.
Why is Poutasen Puutarha a different kind of producer?
Because here, cultivation does not end at harvest. The same whole covers controlled growing, the selection of the best roots, the premium quality of fresh ginger, and the connection all the way to further refinement. When the growing conditions, origin, harvest timing, and raw material selection are all known precisely, the final result is not based on generic mass raw material, but on our own controlled chain. That is exactly where the core of everything we do is built.
What is The Ginger, and why does it differ from ordinary ginger products?
The Ginger is a multipurpose oil in the Arctic Elixir® range, centred around CO₂-extracted Finland-grown Arctic ginger. Alongside it, the product contains cold-pressed blackcurrant seed oil and natural vitamin E. The difference compared to ordinary ginger products comes from the fact that The Ginger is not built on detached generic raw material, but on the same controlled chain that begins with cultivation, continues through the careful selection of the best roots, and ends in precise refinement. Interest in ginger within wellness products is also linked to gingerols, shogaols, and other bioactive compounds, which means that the origin and processing of the raw material genuinely matter.
How will Arctic turmeric differ from imported turmeric?
Arctic turmeric is built from a different starting point than ordinary imported turmeric. When turmeric is grown in controlled conditions, in a clean environment, and with a short raw material chain, its origin, freshness, and quality remain under control in a completely different way than in a product that has passed through a long chain of drying, storage, and logistics. In research, fresh turmeric was found to contain higher levels of curcuminoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and amino acids, as well as higher antioxidant activity than dried samples, and sun-drying in particular clearly reduced the main curcuminoids. That is why Arctic turmeric is not merely a Finnish version of the same raw material, but a turmeric built differently in terms of quality.
Why are ginger and turmeric so interesting in wellness products?
Ginger is known for its powerful aroma, long history of use, and its compound profile, which includes gingerols and shogaols, among others. Turmeric, in turn, is known for its strong colour and curcuminoids, of which curcumin is the best known. That is exactly why, in the case of both, origin, freshness, stage of development, processing, and refinement matter greatly. At Poutasen Puutarha, this is not seen as a side issue, but as the foundation of everything we do: the goal is not merely to grow well-known root crops, but to build them into exceptional premium raw materials both for fresh use and for Arctic Elixir® refinement.