organic ginger seed rhizome rate per acre cost planting time spacing investment first crop establishment
2 Answers
Ginger needs a fairly large amount of seed rhizome, commonly around 600 to 800 kg per acre depending on seed piece size and spacing, and for organic you must use healthy disease free seed from a clean organic source, which can cost more than ordinary seed. So seed rhizome is the single biggest cash cost at the start, plan and budget for it, and get current local seed rates. Plant at the onset of the monsoon or under irrigation, with seed pieces of a couple of buds each, treated with bio agents like Trichoderma, on well drained raised beds with compost and mulch. Keeping some of your own clean rhizome for next season seed reduces future cost. Because ginger ties up significant money in seed, start with an area you can manage well rather than overreaching, and confirm the seed rate and spacing with your KVK.
Seed rhizome cost shocked me the first year, it is a heavy expense. Now I keep my own clean seed from a healthy plot, which cuts the cost a lot for the next crop.