Post by Trade facilitator on Sept 8, 2022 1:04:49 GMT 1
The Hidden Secrets Of Ginger Farming For Export In Nigeria: All You Need To Know To Key Into The Business
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that Nigeria exported ginger (whole, dried or ground) valued at over N12 billion in 2021.
Despite the fact that the country is the second largest producer of ginger in the world, Nigeria is yet to optimize the comparative advantage of the product. With this product being high in demand in the international market, earning a high amount of foreign exchange from it should not be a big problem for the country.
Ginger (zingiber officinale) is an herbal flowering plant whose rhizome is widely used as a spice or a medicine. It is a perennial plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae family of which turmeric is also a member.
The product which is now cultivated across many states in Nigeria has become an important export item fetching the much needed foreign exchange for the country. At the global market, ginger is valued for its powder, oil and oleoresin.
Ginger in its whole form or extract is used not only in the global cuisine industry but also in pharmaceutical and beauty industries and because the majority of the ginger farmed in Nigeria is organic it is always in high demand.
Ginger in Nigeria is mostly farmed in Kaduna, Bauchi, Benue, Gombe and Nasarawa states; Nigeria’s ginger production in the year 2020 was put at 734,000 metric tonnes; according to data from Statista.
The country exports the majority of its ginger which makes Nigeria the third highest exporter of the crop globally. It is usually exported in the fresh form, the dried form and the processed form which is the powdered ginger. The commodity is popular owing to its numerous uses. Some of them are herbal medicines, spices of bread in bakeries, and its uses in breweries to produce drinks among others.
In the Nigerian market, ginger is not only popular; it is a very high demanded crop too. At a time when the government is implementing various measures to boost the agricultural sector, experts say this has provided entrepreneurs with a platform to key into the economic diversification policy of the government.
Globally, the Nigerian ginger is most preferred as it is known for being particularly potent and high in oleoresin, which is good for use in both food and certain pharmaceuticals.
The demand for Nigerian ginger is far more than what is currently being produced, so there is a lot of room for increased production particularly for export.
Nigeria’s biggest markets are South Africa, India, and Morocco, where it is sold directly to domestic food processors, and Dubai, where farmers mainly sell to international traders.
Experts say the Nigerian ginger is highly regarded in the international market for its quality and high medicinal value. Specifically, its aroma, purgency and high oil and Aleoresin content are other distinct features of ginger products from Nigeria.
With the several agriculture oriented and export promotion policies of the government, ginger farming for export is an area that is in need of investors. However, in going into ginger farming, there are measures to consider for a profitable cultivation and harvest.
How To Cultivate Ginger In Nigeria:
Often ginger is planted with other crops that could provide shelter as it doesn’t thrive well under direct sunlight. It also needs sufficient water, so water must be available in the environment where your ginger farm is located. Manual watering can also provide water for your ginger plant.
Planting your ginger with some other plants such as peas and beans can easily provide an adequate amount of sunlight, as these plants can help in shading it from direct sunlight. Also, ginger rhizomes thrive in loose, rich and moist soil. It also loves mildly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Loamy soil is the perfect soil for ginger farming. It also drains water which prevents the ginger plants from becoming waterlogged.
Cultivating ginger constantly in the same piece of land may cause low production. It is advised that after 2-3 years of frequent farming, one year break should be given to the farmland. Using organic compost will also be helpful.
When planting ginger rhizomes; consider some good companions for ginger that will provide weed cover; insect repellent and natural mulch. Legumes like Peas, Chili peppers and Turmeric are especially useful as they fix nitrogen in soil for better overall plant growth.
Make sure that any ginger plant companions you use share the same growth needs as this would ensure the success of your ginger plant. The harvesting of ginger in Nigeria usually starts in October and runs all through to May. Harvesting time of ginger should be after 8 to 10 months of planting.
However, if you want fresh ginger that will be used for vegetable purposes, it should be harvested after about 6 months. Fully matured ginger has yellow leaves and dry pseudo stems. Ginger rhizomes are lifted with a digging fork or a spade. They are then cleaned of soil particles and roots.
Ginger can be stored in the fresh state or dried state. The fresh ones should be stored in a cold environment in between 10 to 15 degrees centigrade while for the dried product, it is first cleaned thoroughly with fresh water before being cut into slices to aid faster drying.
After drying, the dried ginger can either be stored as it is, or ground into powdered form. It can be stored in bags, glass or tin containers.
It is important to understand that there are certain conditions that must be met before your ginger is accepted into the European and American markets. We are going to concentrate on those conditions in the next article.
Our company is one of the best companies in Agro-Export Business in Nigeria today, we train individuals and corporate organizations on how to do Export Business the right way; if you are interested, please contact the admin of this forum now for further details.
Despite the fact that the country is the second largest producer of ginger in the world, Nigeria is yet to optimize the comparative advantage of the product. With this product being high in demand in the international market, earning a high amount of foreign exchange from it should not be a big problem for the country.
Ginger (zingiber officinale) is an herbal flowering plant whose rhizome is widely used as a spice or a medicine. It is a perennial plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae family of which turmeric is also a member.
The product which is now cultivated across many states in Nigeria has become an important export item fetching the much needed foreign exchange for the country. At the global market, ginger is valued for its powder, oil and oleoresin.
Ginger in its whole form or extract is used not only in the global cuisine industry but also in pharmaceutical and beauty industries and because the majority of the ginger farmed in Nigeria is organic it is always in high demand.
Ginger in Nigeria is mostly farmed in Kaduna, Bauchi, Benue, Gombe and Nasarawa states; Nigeria’s ginger production in the year 2020 was put at 734,000 metric tonnes; according to data from Statista.
The country exports the majority of its ginger which makes Nigeria the third highest exporter of the crop globally. It is usually exported in the fresh form, the dried form and the processed form which is the powdered ginger. The commodity is popular owing to its numerous uses. Some of them are herbal medicines, spices of bread in bakeries, and its uses in breweries to produce drinks among others.
In the Nigerian market, ginger is not only popular; it is a very high demanded crop too. At a time when the government is implementing various measures to boost the agricultural sector, experts say this has provided entrepreneurs with a platform to key into the economic diversification policy of the government.
Globally, the Nigerian ginger is most preferred as it is known for being particularly potent and high in oleoresin, which is good for use in both food and certain pharmaceuticals.
The demand for Nigerian ginger is far more than what is currently being produced, so there is a lot of room for increased production particularly for export.
Nigeria’s biggest markets are South Africa, India, and Morocco, where it is sold directly to domestic food processors, and Dubai, where farmers mainly sell to international traders.
Experts say the Nigerian ginger is highly regarded in the international market for its quality and high medicinal value. Specifically, its aroma, purgency and high oil and Aleoresin content are other distinct features of ginger products from Nigeria.
With the several agriculture oriented and export promotion policies of the government, ginger farming for export is an area that is in need of investors. However, in going into ginger farming, there are measures to consider for a profitable cultivation and harvest.
How To Cultivate Ginger In Nigeria:
Often ginger is planted with other crops that could provide shelter as it doesn’t thrive well under direct sunlight. It also needs sufficient water, so water must be available in the environment where your ginger farm is located. Manual watering can also provide water for your ginger plant.
Planting your ginger with some other plants such as peas and beans can easily provide an adequate amount of sunlight, as these plants can help in shading it from direct sunlight. Also, ginger rhizomes thrive in loose, rich and moist soil. It also loves mildly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Loamy soil is the perfect soil for ginger farming. It also drains water which prevents the ginger plants from becoming waterlogged.
Cultivating ginger constantly in the same piece of land may cause low production. It is advised that after 2-3 years of frequent farming, one year break should be given to the farmland. Using organic compost will also be helpful.
When planting ginger rhizomes; consider some good companions for ginger that will provide weed cover; insect repellent and natural mulch. Legumes like Peas, Chili peppers and Turmeric are especially useful as they fix nitrogen in soil for better overall plant growth.
Make sure that any ginger plant companions you use share the same growth needs as this would ensure the success of your ginger plant. The harvesting of ginger in Nigeria usually starts in October and runs all through to May. Harvesting time of ginger should be after 8 to 10 months of planting.
However, if you want fresh ginger that will be used for vegetable purposes, it should be harvested after about 6 months. Fully matured ginger has yellow leaves and dry pseudo stems. Ginger rhizomes are lifted with a digging fork or a spade. They are then cleaned of soil particles and roots.
Ginger can be stored in the fresh state or dried state. The fresh ones should be stored in a cold environment in between 10 to 15 degrees centigrade while for the dried product, it is first cleaned thoroughly with fresh water before being cut into slices to aid faster drying.
After drying, the dried ginger can either be stored as it is, or ground into powdered form. It can be stored in bags, glass or tin containers.
It is important to understand that there are certain conditions that must be met before your ginger is accepted into the European and American markets. We are going to concentrate on those conditions in the next article.
Our company is one of the best companies in Agro-Export Business in Nigeria today, we train individuals and corporate organizations on how to do Export Business the right way; if you are interested, please contact the admin of this forum now for further details.
