Organic ginger from Peru – spicy-hot with a fine citrus note
For several years, we have been buying organic-certified dried ginger from Peru. Because of the optimal climate, this South American country has specialised in the cultivation of organic ginger. The largest ginger producer is India, the largest cultivation area is in Nigeria and the largest ginger exporter is China – but mainly for conventional products.
Ginger from Peru is extremely popular with European organic consumers. The tubers are longish, and the flesh colour is on the light side. It has an aromatic smell and the taste is characterised by a spicy pungency, with an intense citrus note.
One area in Peru whose climate is particularly suitable for ginger cultivation is the region around Pichanaki in the province of Chanchamayo. It lies on the edge of the so-called Selva, the Amazon lowlands. The climate is tropically humid and very warm almost all year round; the rainy season alone, in winter, brings a lot of rain and storms. Pichanaki is situated 525 m above sea-level, so you are not yet in the deep Amazon rainforest, and it still has quite steep hills. Ginger grows best on slopes about 1,000 m above sea-level, because in these areas, heavy rain does not cause the waterlogging which could affect its quality. Ginger is therefore cultivated far up into the hills and on mountain slopes.
The plots chosen are usually those that have lain fallow for two to four years. They are planted with small pieces of tuber. The rotation system prevents diseases and gives the soil time to recover without fertilisation. The good income from ginger means that farmers can afford the fallow time.
In the initial stages, the plots have to be carefully weeded by hand several times, until the ginger can be harvested after more than a year. Manual work on the steep slopes is sometimes very hazardous. The main harvesting period is between July and February. From January onwards, regular checks need to be made to ensure that the crops are not spoilt during the rainy season and that the tubers do not rot in the soil. Furthermore, the steep slopes become very slippery when it rains. The work is already difficult enough, and such conditions make it extremely dangerous and even more costly, because it is no longer possible to use vehicles to transport the harvested ginger tubers.
As the yields from ginger cultivation and the demand from abroad increase, more and more smallholders from the region have switched to ginger. Most farmers have only small fields of 1 to 4 hectares, which are often far apart from each other. It is true that the ginger boom does not necessarily contribute to agricultural diversification and greater biodiversity, but we can nevertheless ascribe many positive effects to ginger cultivation:
- Since the main product in demand for export is certified ginger, a large proportion of the farmers in the entire region are certified organic
- As the ginger yields are good, it is possible to plan in a fallow period of two to four years, which means that flora and fauna can recover. The plots that are cleared after the fallow period are not virgin forests, but land covered with fast-growing secondary vegetation with bushes and young trees
- It is financially more attractive for the farmers to grow organic ginger than coca
The current situation in Peru poses a number of challenges for many farmers and companies alike. Peru has imposed a strict ‘lockdown’. However, in certain regions and sectors, it is possible to work under stringent rules, so fortunately the cultivation, processing and export of ginger is guaranteed. We are incredibly grateful to our partners in Peru for their willingness to work hard under these difficult conditions to ensure that we continue to receive a high-quality product on time at the port in Hamburg. On arrival, the dried organic ginger pieces are cut into different sizes or processed into powder, depending on the customer's wishes. They are extremely popular in the European tea and spice industries.