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the best time for planting ginger in the West Coast of India is during the first fortnight of May with the receipt of pre-monsoon showers. Under irrigated conditions, it can be planted well in advance during the middle of February or early March.
Climate and soil
Ginger grows well in warm and humid climate and is cultivated from sea level to an altitude of 1500 m above sea level. Ginger can be grown both under rain fed and irrigated conditions. For successful cultivation of the crop, a moderate rainfall at sowing time till the rhizomes sprout, fairly heavy and well distributed showers during the growing period and dry weather for about a month before harvesting are necessary. Ginger thrives best in well-drained soils like sandy loam, clay loam, red loam or lateritic loam. A friable loam rich in humus is ideal. However, being an exhausting crop it is not desirable to grow ginger in the same soil year after year.
VArieties
Some of the prominent indigenous cultivars are Maran, Kuruppampadi, Ernad, Wynad, Himachal and Nadia. Exotic cultivars such as Rio-de-Janeiro have also become very popular among cultivators.
The crop is ready for harvest in about 8 months after planting when the leaves turn yellow, and start drying up gradually. The clumps are lifted carefully with a spade or digging fork, and the rhizomes are separated from the dried up leaves, roots and adhering soil.
Cost of cultivation per hectare apprrox is 2,50000 RS, depends on the labour cost and varies with region.
Regards
Ashwini
