Gingers are the most in-demand organic crops that are commercially traded as spice or medicine. Ginger produced in India only has domestic consumption. Furthermore, export is also possible for this spice.
Want to cultivate this nutritive crop? Get your Swaraj 855 fe ready as we share tips for cultivating this organic and commercially popular crop.
Technical Factors Required to Grow Ginger in India
Here are a few factors that can help you sow, grow and harvest good-quality ginger in India.
- Agro-climate for ginger
Ginger crops are well-suited to grow in humid and warm climates. This crop can grow well in rainfed and irrigated conditions. However, it is mainly cultivated in the tropics above sea level 1500 MSL.
For successful cultivation of ginger crops, moderate rainfall is needed during sowing time till the rhizomes sprouts are sprouted. In addition, there should be well-distributed showers during the growing period and dry weather at least a month before the harvesting begins.
- Land preparation for ginger
The tillage of land should be minimum with reliable tractors like Swaraj 742 FE and trusted tillage equipment. The following specifications should be followed while preparing the soil bed:
- The beds should be 15 cm in height.
- 1 metre should be the width of the bed.
- And at least a space of 50 cm should be there between different beds.
Solarisation of beds should be done to check pests or disease-causing organisms.
- Planting material for ginger
Seed rhizomes collected organically can be used for planting. However, make sure they are free from pests and plant diseases. In case of the absence of organically unavailable seed materials, farmers can choose to use seed material from high-yielding seed varieties. Further, the seeds shouldn’t be treated with any chemicals.
- Soil requirement for ginger
Ginger can grow and sustain in well-drained soils. Sandy, clay loam, and lateritic soil can be ideal for growing ginger crops. Friable loam rich in humus is suitable for ginger growth. Farmers should not grow this crop in the same field, year after year, as the soil loses its nutrients.
Moreover, you can grow them in open fields; partially, they can be grown in shady sites.
- Intercropping with organic ginger
Ginger can grow well with other crops. However, other crops should be organic. This particular one can be added with shade-giving crops like pigeon pea, banana, cluster bean (guar) and tea castor. Ginger is grown as a mixed crop in coffee, orange and young coffee plantations on the west coast. If growing these crops at higher altitudes in Himachal Pradesh, this crops can be grown in combination with chilli and tomato.
- Harvesting of ginger
Depending on the maturity of the variety, the crop can be ready to harvest in about 8-10 months. When crops are fully grown, the leaves appear yellow, and the pseudostems begin to dry. Rhizomes can be picked from the ground with a spade or a digging fork.
Furthermore, dry ginger yields 15-25% of fresh ginger, depending on the ginger variety and location where you are growing it. The average yield of ginger farming is 6-10 tonnes per acre of land.
How can weed be controlled in Ginger cultivation?
2 weedlings are enough for the crops. The first weedling should be done before the 2nd mulching and must be repeated based on the growth of weeds. Plants can be earthed up once or twice. For mulching, the weeding material can be used.
Which popular varieties of ginger are grown in India?
India abundantly grows a variety of ginger crops. However, the top two most-grown varieties are — Rio-De-Janeiro and China. The most popular varieties of ginger are:
- Assam
- Maran
- Kurumpuddi
- Himachal
- Wynad local
- Suravi
- Suruchi
- Varada
- Himgiri
- Rajasthan
- Mahima
Frequently Asked Questions for Ginger Farming
- Which is the planting season for ginger in India?
Ans. With the onset of the monsoon, March-Apri is the ideal time to plant gingers in India.
- How long does ginger take to grow?
Ans. Within 8-10 months, gingers can be full-bloomed.
- How much should the buffer be for ginger production?
Ans. To cultivate ginger organically, there should be a buffer zone of 25-50 feet around a conventional farm. However, the ginger produced from this zone should not be considered organic since this is an organic crop with a conversion period of 2 years.
