Ginger: A hot crop for planting

“Everything good is found in ginger,” so goes a popular Indian proverb. 
Ginger can be consumed fresh, dehydrated, powdered, or pickled.  The Filipino traditional health drink called salabat is made from boiled fresh or powdered ginger.  It also adds flavor to some common dishes like tinola, goto, arroz caldo, paksiw, batchoy, and pinakbet.  Likewise, it is used as an ingredient in the manufacture of softdrinks and in the preparation of preserves.
But what most Filipinos don’t know is that ginger is also a medicinal plant. In the United States, ginger is “generally recognized safe” by the Food and Drug Administration, though it is not approved for the treatment or cure of any disease and is sold as an unregulated dietary supplement.
The Minnesota-based Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research recommends ginger for nausea and vomiting.   “To prevent nausea after surgery,” it instructs, “ginger has been given as one gram by mouth one hour before surgery.  For chemotherapy-induced nausea, capsules of ginger root powder have been given orally one gram per day for 5 days, starting on the first day of chemotherapy.”
Ginger does not prevent morning sickness but it may help ease some of the nausea experienced by pregnant women, Australian researchers reported in the April 2004 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  Researchers from the University of South Australia in Adelaide gave nearly 300 women either 350 milligrams of ginger or 25 milligrams of vitamin B6 three times per day for 3 weeks. The researchers found that both ginger and vitamin B6, which is sometimes taken to counteract morning sickness, worked equally well at alleviating nausea symptoms.
Some sources warn against higher doses in pregnancy due to concerns about mutations or abortion. “Supervision by a qualified healthcare professional is recommended for pregnant women considering the use of ginger,” the Mayo Clinic suggests.
Mounting evidence suggests that ginger has natural anti-inflammatory properties. “And you don’t have to use a lot,” says Dr. Neal Barnard, author of Foods That Fight Pain.  “It works like ibuprofen, but without the side effects.” Thing is, you need some ginger every day to feel the results. Slice a half-teaspoon to a teaspoon of fresh ginger and use it to flavor your stir-fry vegetables or sauces, or mix it with some boiling water and let it cool down before drinking.
Now, here’s a word of warning: Though generally recognized as safe, ginger can cause heartburn, bloating, gas, belching and nausea, particularly if taken in powdered form.  Allergic reactions to ginger generally result in a rash.   Individuals who have had ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease or blocked intestines may react badly to large quantities of fresh ginger.   Ginger should not be used by children under 2 years of age. 
Ginger is not a popular crop grown by Filipinos farmers.  In fact, only 3,916 hectares were planted to ginger in 2006, with a total production of 27,261.  Despite the measly volume, the country was able to import ginger to Japan, Germany, Hong Kong, Britain and Northern Ireland.
However, experts believe that more people will consume ginger in the future as the crop is becoming popular due to its distinct sharp and hot flavor. 
A study conducted by the small enterprise technology upgrading program (SET-UP) of the Department of Science and Technology showed that a farmer with one hectare needs a capital of P141,490 for labor and inputs like seeds and fertilizer. 
On regular season, a farmer will have a gross income of P300,000 (at P10 per kilogram with 30 tons yield from one hectare).  During off-season, the gross income is higher by P100,000 as the price of ginger increases to P20 per kilogram (although the production is 10 tons lower than those harvested during regular season).
Ginger can be grown in flat to slightly rolling areas with well-drained, light to medium textured soil high in organic matter and pH of 6.8-7.0.  It can grow in elevations of up to 1,500 meters above sea level with about 200-300 centimeters annual rainfall every distributed throughout the year.
A farmer needs about 800 to 1,500 kilograms of seedpieces to plant a hectare.  Ginger roots are stored under shade and covered with banana or coconut leaves.  Only healthy rhizomes with sprouts or eyes are selected for planting.  These are cut into pieces with 3-4 sprouts each.
Or the seedpieces may be pre-germinated for uniform growth.  To do this, raised beds of any desired length measuring one meter wide and 20 centimeters high are prepared.  The seedpieces are line sown two meters apart and covered with a mixture of compost and coir dust. Watering is recommended as needed.  The sprouts are transplanted into the field when they are about one to two centimeters long.
Here are some valuable tips in growing ginger as shared by PCARRD:
Land preparation.  The field is cleared of bushes or stubbles of previous crop to facilitate land preparation.  These can be used in compost piles and should not be burned.  After doing so, the field is plowed twice and then harrowed to pulverize the soil.  Furrows one meter apart are made.  For one hectare, three to five tons of fully decomposed chicken manures are incorporated into the soil.
Planting.  This is done at the start of the rainy season.  Pre-germinated seedpieces are distributed in furrows 30 centimeters apart and covered lightly with soil.  In small-scale plantings, the newly-planted seedpieces are mulched with rice straw or coconut leaves. 
Generally, ginger is intercropped with perennial crops such as coconut and coffee.  In Cavite, it is a common practice to plant ginger (0.3 meter by 3 meters) with papaya (3 meters by 3 meters), pineapple (0.3 meter by 0.75 meter), and tomato (1 meter by 3 meters).
Fertilization.  As ginger takes up large amounts of nutrients, it is necessary to fertilize the crop.  Per hectare, the general fertilizer requirement of NPK is 180 kilograms, 180 kilograms, and 255 kilograms, respectively.  A hectare of ginger requires 11.5 bags 14-14-14 and 4 bags of 0-0-60 in addition to five tons of chicken or animal manure.  The manure is incorporated during furrow preparation.  Inorganic fertilizers are applied as sidedress at 30 and 60 days after planting.
Irrigation.  Ginger requires light but frequent irrigation during the vegetative stage, if rainfall is not evenly distributed.  Depending on soil type and seasonal rainfall, irrigation varies from four to seven days.
Weeding.  Generally, ginger requires regular hand weeding during its growth period.  One month after planting, hand weed is recommended.  The frequency of subsequent weeding depends on weed density.  To suppress weed growth, the plants may be mulched with coconut leaves or rice straw.
Harvesting.  Harvest time depends on the requirements of consumers.  For the local market, after 10 to 11 months; for pickling and salting, 5 to 7 months; for dehydration, 6 to 8 months; and for fresh ginger export, after 7 to 10 months.  However, harvesting should be done before the rhizomes become fibrous or when the leaves or stalks are yellow and withering.
To harvest, the PCARRD instructs: “Dig each hill with a spading fork or a hoe, pull the entire plant, shake off the soil, lay on top of the bed, and cut off the stem without breaking the rhizomes.  Care should be practiced during the harvesting to minimize injury the results to faster weight loss and susceptibility to decay.”
Ginger’s current name comes from the Middle English gingivere, but ginger dates back over 3,000 years to the Sanskrit srngaveram meaning “horn root” with reference to its appearance. In Greek it was ziggiberis, and in Latin, zinziberi. [Jims Vincent Capuno]