16/06/2024
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one of the oldest spices with a distinct flavour and
pungency. It has a wide range of uses that include culinary, flavourant in soft drinks,
alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, confectionery, pickles, pharmaceutical
preparations. India is the largest grower of ginger and also the largest producer of dry
ginger in the world. Other countries cultivating ginger extensively are West Indies,
Brazil, China, Japan and Indonesia. In India Kerala, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh, Meghalaya and West Bengal are important ginger growing states. About 60%
of the area is confined to Kerala, accounting for 25% of the country's total production.
Climate and soil
Ginger grows well in warm and humid climate. It is cultivated up to 1,500m above
mean sea-level. However, an optimum elevation for its successful cultivation is 300–
900m. Moderate rainfall at sowing till the rhizomes sprout, fairly heavy and welldistributed
showers during the growing period and dry weather about one month
before harvesting are optimum requirements for its successful cultivation. Early
planting helps in better growth and development of rhizomes and higher yields.
A rich soil with good drainage and aeration is ideal for its cultivation. It grows well in
sandy or clayey loam, red loam and lateritic loam soils. Drainage is absolutely
necessary for the prevention of disease incidence. Ginger should not be grown in the
same site year-after-year.
Varieties
Several cultivars are grown in different areas in India. Ginger is always propagated by
cuttings of rhizomes known as seed rhizome or sets. Rhizome sets should be treated
with 0.3% Dithane M-45 solution for 30 minutes to control fungal diseases. If required,
they may also treated with 0.05% Malathion and 200ppm Streptocycline. For planting,
rhizome bits of 15–20g @ 1,200–1,800kg/ha may be used. Cultivation
Planting
The land should be ploughed 4–5 times to bring the soil into fine tilth. Beds of 1m
width, 15cm height and 3m length or of any convenient length are prepared at 40cm
spacing. About 2,000 beds of 3m × 1m size are prepared in one hectare land. Being
irrigated crop, ridges are formed 40cm apart. The optimum spacing is 30cm × 30cm
under bed system of planting. A bed of 3m ×1m can accommodate 40 plants.
Manuring and fertilization
A basal dose of 25–30 tonnes of farmyard manure with NPK 75 : 50 : 50 kg/ha is
recommended. Whole of P2O5 and half of K2O may be applied at the time of planting.
Half of N is applied 40 days after planting and the remaining N and K2O month after
that. Application of neem cake (2 tonnes/ha) as basal dressing helps reduce the
incidence of soft rot of ginger and increases the yield.
Weeding and mulching
Mulching enhances germination, increases organic matter, conserves soil moisture and
prevents washing of soil due to heavy rains. Two w**dings are generally given to the
crop. The first w**ding is done just before the second mulching and repeated
depending on the intensity of w**d growth. If necessary, w**ding is to be repeated
for the third time. Mulching of ginger beds helps in soil and water conservation. The
first mulching is done at the time of planting with 12.5 tonnes of green leaves/ha and
the second after 40 days with 5 tonnes of green leaves/ha.
Rotation and intercropping of ginger
The crops most commonly rotated with ginger in Kerala are tapioca, chilli, rice,
gingelly, ragi, groundnut and maize. Ginger is also grown with maize as a mixed crop
and as an intercrop in coconut and arecanut gardens. Harvesting and Postharvest management
It is ready for harvesting in about 8 months, depending on variety, when the leaves
turn yellow and start drying. The average yield is 15–30 tonnes/ha. If the crop is for
green ginger, it is harvested in 5–6 months. Rhizomes are washed thoroughly in water
2 or 3 times to remove the soil and dirt and sun-dried for a day.
For dry ginger, the outer skin is removed with split bamboos having pointed ends.
Only the outer skin is to be peeled since the essential oil of ginger remains near the
skin, and dried in the sun for a week. The yield of dry ginger is 16–25% of the green
ginger.
Big plumpy rhizomes free from diseases are selected immediately after harvesting.
They are treated with a solution containing 0.05% of Malathion and 0.3% Dithane M-45
for 30 minutes. Drain the solution and dry the rhizomes under shade. Dried rhizomes
are put in a pit of convenient size (2m × 1m) and covered with a plank fitted with 2–3
holes for aeration. In some areas, the rhizomes are loosely heaped over a layer of
sand or paddy husk and covered with dry leaves in a thatched shed. For processing into its products, ginger rhizomes are harvested 5 months after
planting. The rhizomes are immature, tender and succulent. They are washed in
water to remove soil and processed into salted ginger, preserved ginger in sugar syrup
or brine and dry and crystallized ginger.
