Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a flowering plant whose rhizome, commonly known as ginger root, is widely used as a spice and in traditional medicine. Its distinct, sharp, and hot flavor is attributed to an oil substance called gingerol.
It is an excellent source of dietary fibre, vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and selenium.
Being aromatic and pungent, ginger adds a distinctive flavour to several food products and has been used as a common ingredient for centuries. Ginger can be processed into different versions such as paste, oil and powder.
It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of leaves) about a metre tall bearing narrow leaf blades. The inflorescences bear pale yellow with purple flowers and arise directly from the rhizome on separate shoots. Ginger is in the family Zingiberaceae, to which also belong turmeric (Curcuma longa), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), and galangal.
Ginger originated as ground flora of tropical lowland forests in regions from the Indian subcontinent to southern Asia, where its cultivation remains among the world's largest producers, including India, China, and other countries of southern Asia. Numerous wild relatives are still found in these regions, and in tropical or subtropical world regions, such as Hawaii, Japan, Australia, and Malaysia.
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Ginger produces clusters of white and pink flower buds that bloom into yellow flowers. Because of its aesthetic appeal and the adaptation of the plant to warm climates, it is often used as landscaping around subtropical homes. It is a perennial reed-like plant with annual leafy stems, about a metre (3 to 4 feet) tall.
Traditionally, the rhizome is gathered when the stalk withers; it is immediately scalded, or washed and scraped, to kill it and prevent sprouting.
How to Grow Ginger in Containers And Get a Huge Harvest
Economic Importance
Medical research has shown that ginger root is an effective treatment for nausea caused by motion sickness or other illness and also contains many antioxidants. Powdered dried ginger root is made into capsules for medicinal use. Modern research on nausea and motion sickness used approximately 1 gram of ginger powder daily.
The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (compiled by health professionals and pharmacists), states that ginger is likely safe for use in pregnancy when used orally in amounts found in foods. Ginger ale and ginger beer have been recommended as “stomach settlers” for generations in countries where the beverages are made. Ginger water was commonly used to avoid heat cramps in the United States in the past.
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Ginger has been used for thousands of years for the treatment of numerous ailments, such as colds, nausea, arthritis, migraines, and hypertension. The medicinal, chemical, and pharmacological properties of ginger have been extensively reviewed (Surh, Lee, and Lee 1998; Ernst and Pittler 2000; Afzal et al). It is been used to aid digestion as well.
The unique fragrance and flavour of ginger come from its natural oils, the most important of which is gingerol. Research has also found ginger to be a powerful antioxidant. Ginger has also been shown in research to have a regulatory role in the natural inflammatory response of the body.
In India ginger is applied as a paste to the temples to relieve headache. Ginger has also been commonly used to treat inflammation, although medical studies as to the efficacy of ginger in decreasing inflammation have shown mixed results. There are several studies that demonstrate very positive results on minimizing joint pain from arthritis and other inflammatory disorders.
The characteristic odour and flavour of ginger root is caused by a mixture of zingerone, shoagoles and gingerols, volatile oils that compose about 1%-3% by weight of fresh ginger. The gingerols have analgesic, sedative, antipyretic, antibacterial, and gastro-intestinal tract motility effects.
Like other herbs, ginger may be harmful because it may interact with other medications, such as warfarin; hence, a physician or pharmacist should be consulted before taking the herb as a medicinal agent or on a long-term basis. Ginger is also contraindicated in people suffering from gallstones, because the herb promotes the release of bile from the gallbladder. Ginger can also be used to prevent scurvy.
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Ghana has a long history of producing ginger rhizomes for local markets and the forest areas of the Ashanti, Central, Volta, Eastern, Bono and Ahafo Regions are good areas for its production.
Ginger production in Ghana has been steadily increasing over the last 20 years and has nearly doubled since the late 1990s. The country's climate allows for year-round production and producers are looking to the global market for buyers.
According to Knoema (2019), Ginger production in Ghana increased from 65 tonnes in year 2000 to 102 tonnes in year 2019, growing at an average annual rate of 2.43%. A 10-year (2010-2020) data from FAOSTAT on the volumes of ginger production in the country, confirms this information given by Knoema (figure 1).
The trend in both production and area cultivated shows continuous and consistent increase annually. Especially for the area cultivated, between the year 2010 and 2019, there has been an increase of 22.5% (figure 2). There has been massive propagation of the ginger crop as a result of high demand of the commodity from the beverage industries.
Data provided by FAOSTAT did not capture most of the farming communities and established farms therefore the estimates of production and area cultivated reported by FAOSTAT very low. Research has proven that, per the varieties available in-country, one could obtain an achievable yield of not less than 20 MT/Ha putting in the best agronomic practices. At the farmers level, this could be lower especially if fertilizers and other important practices are not applied.
Best practices in ginger production includes crop rotation or constant fertilizer application if the crop is continuously being cultivated on the same piece of land. However, yields recorded by farmers fields is as high as 15 MT/Ha.
Realizing the potential of ginger farming in the country , the government under the One District One Factory (1D1F) Programme, has approved for the establishment and rehabilitation/revamping of a ginger processing factories at Nsuta in Kadjebi District, Oti Region and Gyankoba, a farming community in the Atwima Nwabiagya district, Ashanti Region with the aim of strengthening the ginger value-chain.
In recent times, ginger production represents a significant opportunity with more demand than supply locally (Ghana). The growing demand has made ginger production a very lucrative business with diverse and growing markets. Until recently, farmers were faced with the perennial challenge of not accessing markets to get value for their produce. They had no option than to sell their ginger directly to traders because of the absent of ginger processing factory.
While a huge economic potential exists for respective value chain actors, the system or sector faces many challenges from production, through processing to marketing which prevents it from reaching its full potential. Some of these challenges include relatively low productivity as a result of poor agronomic practices, post-harvest losses, diseases and pests incidence, poor or lack of processing and storage facilities etc.
Ginger Value Chain
The ginger value chain in Ghana even though not well developed and structured, it comprises a range of stakeholders, including farmers, aggregators, processors, exporters, marketers and transporters.
Production and processing remain very basic, with smallholders accounting for the majority of production and processing without much infrastructure the support for the various activities of the actors along the chain. The sector is not well-organized as compared to the grain and the legumes.
It has limited or inadequate infrastructural support such as processing outfits, pack houses, haulage and modernized production inputs. There is however a strong scientific and research support for the crop, spearheaded by the Universities (eg. KNUST).
Key Actors in the Value Chain
- Input Provision: Planting materials: Exotic varieties - input dealers; Horticulture Department, KNUST, Kumasi. Local varieties - established farms in the growing areas.
- Production: Ginger is much cultivated in the forest areas of the Ashanti, Central, Volta, Eastern, Bono and Ahafo Regions.
Most of the farmers prepare their land manually though a few that have access to tractors and animal traction do use them for land preparation. Smallholder farmers make up the majority of its production and most of these farmers produce on an area of about 0.2-1 hectare farms with low use of inputs and basic agronomic practices. Average yield estimates of freshly harvested ginger is between 5 and 15 MT/ha (data obtained from interviews).
Gyankobaa in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region is the leading producer of ginger in Ghana, with more than 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares) of land under cultivation. An estimated 1,500 individuals are engaged in the cultivation of ginger on an average two-acre land each. Almost every household in Gyankobaa owns a ginger farm or two.
The production figures given by FAOSTAT for 2019 was 102 tonnes and was forecasted to change by an average of 2%. Considering only Gyankobaa which cultivates about 1,200 hectares, it is expected that with an average or least yield of 5 MT/Ha, and all things being equal, a production of 6,000 MT should be obtained.
Presently according to FAOSTAT, Ghana is ranked 33rd among the world producing countries of ginger. Since 2014, Ghana Ginger Production grew 2.3% year on year. In 2019, the country was number 33 among other countries in Ginger Production at 102 MT. Ghana is overtaken by Puerto Rico, which was ranked number 32 with 106 Metric Tons and is followed by Pakistan at 52 Metric Tons.
India ranked the highest with 996,041 Metric Tons in 2019, +11.5% versus 2018. China, Nigeria and Nepal respectively ranked number 2, 3 and 4 in this ranking.
Processing
Processing of ginger is very low across all production areas. Farmers are faced with the perennial challenge of not accessing markets to get value for their produce. They had no option than to sell their ginger directly to traders because of the absent of ginger processing factory. The lack of storage facilities and a processing facility, often force most farmers to dispose of their produce at a cheaper price to avoid a total loss. Some farmers over the past years also refused harvesting so as to avoid losses.
There are however a few processing activities ongoing at the local level in terms of drying, ginger powder making, blending of ginger with other spices among others. The solvent extracted, known as oleoresin, is available in consumer-friendly packages. Ginger powder is also an ingredient in many masala mixes. In Western countries, ginger is used for baked goods, soups, beer, and many other soft drinks. It is also widely consumed in the pharmaceutical industry, thanks to its numerous health benefits including antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties.
Key Agronomic Practices and their Importance
Good Agricultural/Husbandry Practices are essential for successful ginger cultivation. Here's a breakdown of key practices:
| Practice | Description & Importance |
|---|---|
| Planting Material/Variety Selection | Ginger is vegetatively propagated from small sections of the rhizome, called settes. Settes are produced by cutting a small 3-6 cm from a living rhizome. Each piece should possess at least 2 living bud which will produce shoots. Ginger varieties differ in size and shape of rhizomes, yield, content, quality, pungency and flavour. Suitable varieties are grouped into the following:
Select varieties that would meet the demand, consumers preference and productivity. Eg. Pungency, high yielding, tolerance/resistance to important diseases, etc. Selection of a variety should also be based on weather information and preferred agro-ecology. Select healthy rhizomes with sprouts or eyes just before planting. Cut into pieces with 3-4 sprouts each. |
| Choose Suitable Soils | Ginger does well in slightly acidic to neutral, well-drained soils rich in nutrients and organic matter especially sandy loam soil. Lime soils with pH lower than 5. Select land with a gentle slope. Avoid waterlogged or imperfectly drained soils as they retard shoot growth. A soil test is recommended to determine the soil pH and the amount of limestone and fertilizer needed for optimum crop growth. |
| pH and Sanitation | Ginger plants require mildly acidic soils for healthy growth and rhizome production. Ensure that your soil pH is between 5.5 and 6.5. If the soil pH is too high or too low, it will interfere with ginger growth. Lower the soil pH by applying composted manure, or increase the pH with calcium carbonate or dolomite to achieve optimal pH. Good clean soil is also important for healthy ginger. Make sure that the soil is sanitized and free from pests, or fungal pathogens and parasites, such as root knot nematodes. |
| Agro Climate Conditions | The crop requires constantly hot (25-350C) and moist climate with a well-distributed annual rainfall of at least 1300-1500mm occurring mainly in the 9 months of the crop’s growth. The forest areas of the Ashanti, Central, Volta, Eastern, Bono and Ahafo Regions are good areas for ginger production. Choose sites that have no history of pest and diseases, especially soft rot and bacterial wilt. Fallow the land for at least three years before planting with ginger. Make sure the area will not be contaminated by other farms on higher ground, whether by soil or water run-off. Check for contaminants that may affect ginger cultivation. Do not locate ginger plots near livestock operations or areas where animal waste can contaminate them. |
| Land Preparation | Good land preparation is critical for sprouting and plant establishment. It also reduces weed competition. Prepare land such that soil is loose and well aerated, has good moisture holding capacity and free of weeds. To produce well-shaped rhizomes, thoroughly clear bush, remove root stumps, plough deeply and harrow. |
Plant pieces of fresh root showing signs of shoots. Harvest in approximately 25 weeks. Ginger is a warm climate plant. It can be grown indoors in pots in cool/temperate areas.
Prepare the soil by adding compost which will retain some moisture but not get saturated. Add a small amount of sand to ensure drainage. Water regularly in summer to keep moist. This perennial will die down in autumn. Remove the dead leaves.
You can harvest ginger root after the plant dies down in winter, digging around the plant to cut off a piece of the older root. The young root with shoots is the actively growing plant and should be left to resprout. Make sure that you have edible ginger. Ginger plants sold in nurseries are usually decorative varieties and not suitable for eating.
Ginger can be grown in pots. Ginger root freezes well either whole or grated, and can be used direct from the freezer in most recipes requiring fresh ginger.
The Atiira Youth Group in Kapelebyong District of north-eastern Uganda have staked their future on ginger. Each group is devoting an acre of land to ginger production. With support from Self Help Africa they’ve secured a contract for their yield to ginger processor ‘Greening Uganda,’ who will pay the farmers €0.80 to €1.40 per kilo, depending on market price and quality.
Ginger isn’t commonly grown in the north-east, but market analysis carried out by Self Help Africa and the regional government’s Agricultural Production Department confirmed its potential. Norah Alupo is a member of a ginger production group in Otapengo village.
A 32-year old separated mother of six, Norah says that as a single parent she has to work hard to provide for her kids and keep food on the table. “As a member of this group I am finding it easier. Norah is optimistic that ginger will help her further, with her group estimating that they can earn almost €4,800 once they sell their crop in the near future. Each of the group members will earn between €150 and €220 from their harvest.
| DATE | VALUE (Tonnes) | CHANGE in % |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 102.00 | 2.00 % |
| 2018 | 100.00 | 2.04 % |
| 2017 | 98.00 | 2.08 % |
| 2016 | 96.00 | 2.13 % |
| 2015 | 94.00 | 3.30 % |
| 2014 | 91.00 | 1.11 % |
| 2013 | 90.00 | 0.00 % |
| 2012 | 90.00 | 2.27 % |
| 2011 | 88.00 | 11.39 % |
| 2010 | 79.00 | 1.28 % |
| 2009 | 78.00 | 2.63 % |
| 2008 | 76.00 | - |
Source: Knoema (2019): Production Statistics; FAOSTAT, 2021
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