“Once
the farmers continue to embrace the best practices, and there is sufficient
buy-in from the market, the country could meet that demand "in five
years"”
Ministry of Agriculture
Export Division General Manager Byron Henry commenting on Jamaica intention to
meet 5% of global Ginger demand by 2019
This
might come as a surprise to many Jamaicans, but despite the negative things being
said about Jamaican Agriculture, we are really on the cusp of Greatness!
We’re
already in the process of exporting Mangoes to the United States of America, once
we have a Processing Plant will be needed to
meet the requirements of the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
as explained in my blog article
entitled “Jamaica
to Export Mangoes to America - Why US$20 Million Processing Plant for Radiation
Therapy and Hot Water Baptism needed to Tap US$500 Million US Market”.
The
Ministry of Agriculture recently revealed that Jamaica can produce up to 5% of
global demand of Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) by 2019 as
stated in the article “Jamaica
could meet global demand for its Ginger by 2019”, published Sunday, October
19, 2014, The Jamaica Observer.
 |
According
to Ministry of Agriculture Export Division General Manager Byron Henry, it's
economically feasible as when our powdered Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) is compared to the imported variety,
mainly from China, ours is cheaper:
1. US$1000
per Kilogram for Imported Ginger (Zingiber Officinale)
2. US$813
per Kilogram for Jamaican Ginger (Zingiber Officinale)
Production
is looking quite positive in 2014:
1. 320
hectares (790 acres) under production
2. 3,000
metric tons (tonnes) expected yield
To
put that into perspective, when compared to figures for Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) yield from 2009:
1. 5
times the 409 tonnes
2. 20
tonnes more exported than what we import
To
achieve the 5% of global Demand of Ginger would require:
1. 1,460
hectares (3607.7 acres) under production
2. 21,000
metric tons (tonnes) expected yield
So
after Mangoes and possibly Sorrel, which can potentially be made into Sorrel
Wine for export as a unique Jamaican Product as explained in my blog article
entitled “How
to make Jamaican Sorrel Wine – JA$2500 for 5 1 Liter Bottles of Sorrel Wine
goes well with Chocolate Christmas Cake”, Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) is the next crop that Jamaica has the
potential to export competitively to the USA and even Europe.
Ministry of Agriculture
and Ginger - Boost to Ginger Farming as it’s easy to Grow
The
Ministry of Agriculture isn't sitting by idly.
Especially
as growing Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) is relatively
easy as it start sprouting within 5-10 days after planting, requires no
fertilizer, albeit that increases yield and the ratoons that remain in the
ground produce Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) year after year
as noted in RADA
(Rural Agricultural Development Authority) Growing Ginger Brochure.
When
the leaves start to die off, usually after eight to ten months (8 to 10
months), the Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) is ready for harvesting
as noted in the article “Growing Ginger Root”,
viewed by Lindsworth Deer on October 30 2014, Tropical
Permaculture.
Its
extract from its powdered form has known medicinal uses should also be of
interest to the Ministry of Health according to Dr.
Tony Vendryes in
his article “GINGER Is A
GREAT MEDICINE”, Published Tuesday July 12, 2011, The Jamaica Gleaner:
1. Cancer
2. Inflammation
3. Motion
Sickness/morning sickness
4. Side
effects of Chemotherapy
5. Sore
throats from Cold
6. Upset
stomach
Despite
missed opportunities, including a JA$500 million (US$6 million) dollar
opportunity reported back in December 2011 to export Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) to an American company named REED that
produces Ginger Beer and was seeking supplies of Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) from Jamaica in the article “Jamaica
Squanders $500m Ginger Export Prospect”, published Friday December 2, 2011,
The Jamaica Gleaner, the Ministry of
Agriculture has still pushed ahead with incentives to increase production overall.
 |
They’re
been proactively promoting the Ginger Industry since February 2012, when the
Ministry of Agriculture put in place measures to encourage Jamaicans to grow Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) as noted in the article “510
Acres To Be Planted With Ginger, Turmeric”, published Sunday February 26,
2012, by Avia Collinder, Business Writer, The
Jamaica Gleaner.
This
should be especially welcome News to the Farmers in Hanover and Westmoreland,
the current leader in Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) production in
Jamaica as declared in the article “St
James, Hanover Lead Ginger Production”, published Saturday April 26, 2014
by Claudia Gardner, Assignment Coordinator, The Jamaica Gleaner.
During
2013, the Ministry of Agriculture took a deeper interest in the Ginger
Industry:
1. JA$31
million in 2012
2. JA$114
million in 2013
3. JA$40
million of the 2013 figure was interest-free loans to 502 farmers to cultivate
445 hectares (1099.61 acres)
Jamaica's
is still in a recovery mode from the Rhizome rot and bacterial wilt diseases
which devastated Jamaica's Ginger Industry during the 90's. 5% of Global Demand
for Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) is now in our grasp with even more for VAP
(Value added Products) such as Wines and Powdered Essence that can fetch a
great deal more on the Global Export Market.
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