Fertilization for Ginger
Ginger consumes high minerals/fertilizers quantities. Requirement of nutrition quantities change with the growth of the plant. Rhizomes absorb high nitrogen and potassium quantities and average quantities of also absorb phosphorus and magnesium.
Nitrogen is required for dividing more rhizomes, therefore nitrogen requirement is high during the beginning period of the growth which is 120-135 days from the planting. Ginger plants consume average 40kg phosphorus per hectare. Always remember to apply phosphorus fertilizers before planting ginger plants.
Both chemical and organic fertilizers are good for ginger and it is better to use organic fertilizers as much as possible as it is good for healthy yield. If you use organic fertilizers, 20-30 tons per hectare is enough.
If the pH value is below 5, it is advisable to use dolomite to maintain the pH value. 1-2 tons per hectare is usually enough in this case. please make sure not to mix dolomite and chemical fertilizers together.
General fertilization schedule per hectare is mentioned below.
Nitrogen is required for dividing more rhizomes, therefore nitrogen requirement is high during the beginning period of the growth which is 120-135 days from the planting. Ginger plants consume average 40kg phosphorus per hectare. Always remember to apply phosphorus fertilizers before planting ginger plants.
Both chemical and organic fertilizers are good for ginger and it is better to use organic fertilizers as much as possible as it is good for healthy yield. If you use organic fertilizers, 20-30 tons per hectare is enough.
If the pH value is below 5, it is advisable to use dolomite to maintain the pH value. 1-2 tons per hectare is usually enough in this case. please make sure not to mix dolomite and chemical fertilizers together.
General fertilization schedule per hectare is mentioned below.
- Before Planting - Super Phosphate 100kg
- 45 Days after - Potassium chloride 40kg, Urea 80kg
- 90 Days after - Potassium chloride 40kg, Urea 80kg
Pests, Insects, and Treatments
Ginger has less insect and diseases comparing to other cultivations. However there are few insects who can make considerable effect to the plants.
Shoot borer / castor capsule borer
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| Victim ginger plant of the Shoot borer attack |
live in the trunk of the plant and destroy the plant by eating the trunk while living inside. you can see some holes on the trunk when shoot borers exists. Most likely to attack at the beginning of the cultivation when the plants are small.
It is advisable to identify the affected plants and burn them to control. Use of 0.04% dimethoate will help to control the shoot borer problem.
Rhizomes Scale Insects
These insects attack during the growth period as well as after harvesting. They silently suck the sap from the rhizomes and rhizomes get shrink and resulting low quality useless yield.
To prevent the scale insect issue, you can wash the rhizomes with dimethoate mixture when planting and storing the rhizomes after harvesting.
Harvesting
Eight
months after the plantation, ginger leaves start to turn yellow colour and start
drying up gradually. This is the clear indication to determine the harvest time.
Most of the time, ginger is manually harvested by simply lifting the clumps with a spade or a fork. The harvested rhizomes are separated from the trunk and thoroughly washed in water twice or thrice to remove mud on the rhizomes.
When harvesting the water content is around 80% and it is important to dry them until the water content come down to around 15%. otherwise ginger is more likely to affect from fungus and other deceases. you can leave them to dry for a week under the average sunlight. On average the yield quantity per hector is 20-25 tones.
Most of the time, ginger is manually harvested by simply lifting the clumps with a spade or a fork. The harvested rhizomes are separated from the trunk and thoroughly washed in water twice or thrice to remove mud on the rhizomes.
When harvesting the water content is around 80% and it is important to dry them until the water content come down to around 15%. otherwise ginger is more likely to affect from fungus and other deceases. you can leave them to dry for a week under the average sunlight. On average the yield quantity per hector is 20-25 tones.
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| Harvested Ginger Rhizomes |
Global Market Price and Profitability
China is the
world’s top ginger exporter while Japan stand on the world top importer of ginger rhizomes. In general condition, it will cost around 2500 - 3200 USD to cultivate ginger rhizomes in one hectare of land including labor charges.
Ginger rhizome price vary between 0.5 - 2 USD per kg. Assuming 20 tons of harvest per hectare, you can earn average 20000 USD from one hectare per year. Total profit is more than 15000 USD.
It clearly shows that the ginger plantation is very good commercial business to start and make more profit.
Ginger rhizome price vary between 0.5 - 2 USD per kg. Assuming 20 tons of harvest per hectare, you can earn average 20000 USD from one hectare per year. Total profit is more than 15000 USD.
It clearly shows that the ginger plantation is very good commercial business to start and make more profit.
