GINGER

Botanical Name  :  Zingiber officinale
Family                  :   Zingiberaceae
Part Used             : Rhizome
Grades                  : Indian dry ginger is in two varieties, 'Cochin ginger (NUGC), and 'Calicut ginger'(NUGK). India also offers ginger in a variety of forms such as oils, oleoresins, and fresh ginger in brine, pickles, candies and syrups.
It is also available in bleached/unbleached and in powder forms
Indian Names International Names
Bengali 
Gujarati 
Hindi 
Kannada
Malayalam 
Marathi 
Oriya 
Punjabi 
Sanskrit 
Tamil
Telugu
Urdu  		: Ada
: Adu
: Adrak
: Shunti
: Inji
: Ale
: Ada
: Adrak
: Ardraka
: Inji
: Allam
: Adrak		 Spanish 
French 
German 
Swedish 
Arabic 
Dutch 
Italian 
Portuguese 
Russian 
Japanese 
Chinese 		 : Jengibre
: Gingembre
: Ingwer
: Ingefara
: Zanjabil
: Gember
: Zenzero
: Gengibre
: Imbir
: Shoga
: Chiang

 


Description & Distribution 
One of the earliest oriental spices known in Europe, ginger has been cultivated in India both as a fresh vegetable & marketed as a dried spice since time immemorial. Ginger is the underground rhizome of a plant with Lanceolote leaves and spikes of yellow flowers, borne on stems. Dried ginger is obtained by peeling off the outer skin of the rhizome and drying in the sun after cleaning. Bleached ginger is obtained by coating the dried ginger with a solution of lime. The uncoated variety is called 'unbleached ginger'. Propagation of ginger is by portions of rhizome with one or two buds.

The congenial climate and the rich healthy soil of Kerala help to produce the finest quality ginger in the world.

Ginger is grown throughout India. India is the worlds no 1 producer and has a share of about 35% of the total world production. Of this Kerala accounts for 25 % of the total Indian production followed by Meghalaya 18 %, Arunachal Pradesh 10%, Mizoram 9%, West Bengal 8%, Tamil Nadu 7%, Orissa 4%, Andhra Pradesh 4% and Nagaland 3%.

Harvesting Season : December to February in plains
                            February to March in higher elevation
Marketing Season : February to April.



Uses
Ginger is pungent, hot , penetrating and slightly biting. 

Ginger is used as a tastemaker, flavourant and an appetizer. Every form of ginger- fresh, dried, pickled, preserved in syrup, powdered, crystalloid has been used since time immemorial. It adds a clean, fresh bite to seafood's, picks up flavor of blend foods, and cuts the fat of rich meat.

It is used as an ingredient in curry powder, cakes, and cookies etc. Ginger has medicinal values and is widely used as a digestive aid and to relieve seasickness, nausea and diarrhea. It is also used for lowering cholesterol, reducing arthritis pain & preventing stomach ulcers. Ginger tea is a pleasant drink, improves circulation, eases travel sickness.



Export
India has traditionally been foremost in ginger production and export. The principal importers are Middle East, USA, the UK and the Netherlands.

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