Hi my name is ginger...what's your name,(coughs) my name is ginger, ginger male.
conversation ensues:
Ginger(female): wow so we are the same?
Ginger(male): yes, just that am a man# winks
Ginger(female): yes you are and a fine one at that. Wow look at those packs, can see you really workout much huh?
Ginger (male): oh yes i do. You dont look bad yourself, look at those wide sexy hips of yours...could make a ginger go crazy.
Ginger (female): (laughs), oh stop with the flatter, youre making me feel shy.
Ginger (male): but am serious, you look beautiful.
Ginger (female): fine fine, you win. Thanks anyways for your sweet compliments.
Ginger (male): youre welcome beautiful.
Ginger (male): so where are you heading to?
Ginger (female): Home i guess. My mama will be looking for me now.
Ginger (male): ohh! Would have loved for you to stay longer. I really want to know you better if you dont mind please?
Ginger (female):(thinks for a while) alright, guess a few more minutes wouldnt cause me anything. So what do you want to know?
Ginger (male): for a start, your history. I mean you dont have to answer that if your are not comfortable you know. Am a weirdo i guess. I mean who asks a lady about her history on the first meeting.
Ginger (female): no no no it okay and no you are not weird but i must confess it is a bold question. Am comfortable talking about it though.
My mother told me that before now, i was a rhizome. When my buds started to grow, i was cut into smaller pieces called SETT which was about 3cm long. After that, i was planted.
Ginger (male): i know there is more to that. Please enlighten me.
Ginger (female): okay fine. There are steps involved in the production of a healthy ginger.
preparation of land:
In planting ginger, loam soil is the best for cultivation. Ridges for planting should be made.
After that, manures should be administered to the land. This manure could be organic like fowl dumps, human dumps, animal dumps etc or inorganic manure such as N.P.K 15:15:15.
This manure should be mixed with the soil to enrich it and leave it till the first rain fall.
planting
As i said earlier, rhizomes are allowed to develop buds and after that, this rhizomes are cut into SETT with each containing atleast a bud. This SETT are in turn propagated and stored till it shows signs of growing.
When this happens, commence planting immediately in either rows or columns in a hole of about 5- 7cm deep. After the first application of manure, another is required 40days after.
insulation
This is the the most important part because it detrmines whether your planting will be successful or not. In this stage, grass that do not produce weeds for example elephant grass, are used to cover the land to prevent the seeds from direct sunlight which could cause them to dry up hence, stopping germination.
After the land has been properly insulated, it should be left for two to three weeks so that the seeds will germinate.
weeding
Weeding is done with bare hand for using farm tools can destroy the seeds in the weeding process.
harvesting
Gingers are harvested according to their various purposes.
Fresh gingers are harvested six months after planting while matured gingers are harvested nine months after planting. Some rhizomes are left for close to two years for contineous propagation. In Nigeria, harvesting is done from october to may. Harvesting of ginger is either done manually or with the use mechanical digger.
Ginger (female): there you go, our history.
Ginger (male): wow! that's incredible, thanks for telling me. You have made my day.
Ginger (female): am glad youre pleased. I should leave now. Mama calls.
Ginger (male): alright then, bye... Till next time.
preservation and storage:
Wet gingers which has less market values than the dried ones are cut and then spread in the sun for drying. After that, you stack it in a bag and store in a cool dry place till when you are willing to sell.
health benefits of ginger:
ginger powder helps in relief of menstural pain
relief of morning sickness for pregnant women
anti-inflammatory
helps treat chronic indigestion
fights against infections
helps lower blood sugar.
economic importance of ginger
Nigeria is one of the top producers of gingers in the world with the norths leading in its production in Nigeria
Ginger which is a spice and a medicinal food crop is one of the farm produce in Nigeria that is on a very high demand tho it is quite expensive.
Nigeria as of 2011 went from selling ginger $1,500 per ton to $5,000 per ton in 2015 in the international market.
Locally in 2015, the price of dried split ginger was as high as 550,000naira per ton.
So you see, aside from ginger being a spice and medicine, it is also a wise choice of business because you stand to gain a lot in this business.