Ginger is a tropical species native to Southeast Asia, belonging to the family Zingiberaceae.

Botanically known as Zingiber Officinale, it is the most popular hot spice in the world. It is marketed in different forms such as raw ginger, dry ginger, bleached dry ginger, ginger powder, ginger oil, ginger oleoresin, gingerale, ginger candy, ginger beer, brined ginger, ginger wine, ginger squash, ginger flakes etc. India produces 2.75 lakh tonne of ginger per annum, almost a third of the worlds production of 8.35 lakh tonne. The major consumers of the commodity are the US, UK, Japan and Saudi Arabia. Although it was well-known to the ancient Romans, ginger nearly disappeared in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Thanks to Marco Polo's trip to the Far East, ginger came back into favor in Europe, becoming not only a much-coveted spice, but also a very expensive one. It is marketed in different forms such as raw ginger, dry ginger, bleached dry ginger, ginger powder, ginger oil, ginger oleoresin, gingerale, ginger candy, ginger beer, brined ginger, ginger wine, ginger squash, ginger flakes etc.

1. World production for ginger in 2009 was 1,618,627 metric tonnes. Ginger is cultivated in India, China, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, Nigeria and West Indies islands. India is the largest producer and consumer of ginger in the world. Indian ginger is produced in the states of Orissa, Kerala, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim and Madhya Pradesh. Kerala is the largest ginger producing state, accounting for about 33 per cent of the total production in India. 2. World trade in ginger is estimated at $190 million per year. The largest ginger importers are the United Kingdom, the United States and Saudi Arabia. Ginger production in Nepal During 2008 - 2009, increased to 178,988 tons of ginger and exported ginger worth Rs 1.37 billion ($18,3 million US dollars) - about 99 percent of total production to India. Nepal imported ginger worth Rs 550 million ($7,74 million USD) during the same period however. 3. Ginger has been used for its health benefits for over 5000 years and is used in Asian medicine to treat stomach aches, nausea, and diarrhoea. Many digestive, anti-nausea, and cold and flu dietary supplements sold in the United States contain ginger extract as an ingredient. Ginger has been used used to alleviate post-surgery nausea as well as nausea caused by motion, chemotherapy, and pregnancy. Ginger also has been used for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and joint and muscle pain.

International scenario : The major ginger producing countries are India, China, Nigeria, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Philippines, Jamaica etc. It is also grown in Australia, Fiji,, Brazil, Sierra Leone and Japan. United Kingdom, United States, Japan and Saudi Arabia import large quantities of ginger. Nigeria ranks first with respect to area under ginger covering about 56.23 % of the total global area followed by India (23.6%), China (4.47%), Indonesia (3.37%) and Bangladesh (2.32%). India ranks first with respect to ginger production contributing about 32.75% of the worlds production followed by China (21.41%), Nigeria (12.54%) and Bangladesh (10.80%). Asian countries lead in the supply of ginger in the world market. Japan and USA are the major importers. China has the major export share. India exports

mainly in the form of whole and dry ginger. Indian dry ginger is known in the global market as Cochin Ginger and Calicut Ginger. Cochin Ginger is considered as one of the best in the world. China, Nigeria and Thailand are competing with India in the recent past in the world market. Australia is the world leader in value added products. India has 50% share in oil and oleoresin trade. National Ginger produced in India, goes for domestic consumption and only a small quantity is exported. But in other producing countries domestic consumption is less and export is more. The global demand for Indian ginger is high on account of its lemony flavour. India earned a foreign exchange of around Rs.40 crores during 2005-06 (Table 2) through ginger exports in various forms (Table 3) . Finest quality of ginger i.e., Cochin Ginger which has extensive demand in the world market is cultivated in Kerala. Dip in area and production of ginger and steady demand for ginger in the domestic market has pushed up the prices in India. Situation is not any different in South African origins (Ethiopia and Nigeria). Reduced availability of quality ginger suitable for drying has pushed up the demand for dry ginger. Consequently domestic dry ginger prices have gone up to $4600 a ton. High cost of production is said to be a reason for farmers not taking up the high quality less fibrous ginger cultivation, especially in Kerala which was hitherto growing the famous Cochin Ginger. Cochin Ginger is considered as one of the best in the world market because of its characteristic lemon like flavour and the absence of fibre content. Hence, the demand is primarily for Cochin/Calicut ginger. On an average, Indian export of ginger was about eight per cent of the domestic production. India is the largest producer of ginger in the world with an Average production of 0.3 0.4 million tonnes. However, in terms of area, Nigeria and China are on top. It is estimated that annually about 1.2 million tonnes of ginger is produced all over the world and India and China contribute almost 49.96 per cent of it. From 1975 onwards till the 80s, India was the major producer of ginger with a share of 30-35% of world production. India was followed by China with a share of 10-15%. However, in the later part of 90s, Chinese production of ginger increased dramatically and Indian share fell. Rising input costs and cheaper competition from China have resulted in India losing its share in the global trade. However, low production in China helped Indian traders increase their exports in November 2009 by more than 400%. Indian ginger is now at a premium of $300

per tonne to its Chinese counterpart. Earlier, Indian rates used to be almost double the rates quoted by China and Nigeria. Production would be higher given that retail ginger has been high since the last two years. Reports suggest that ginger production in India this year would be higher by 25%-30% compared to the last year with more farmers growing ginger because of high prices prevailing in the market. A major shortfall in ginger crop in China and delayed harvest is abetting a price rally in the Indian markets. Traders said that though the Indian market usually eases after the new crop arrives in December, availability this time is very low because of late harvest. Arrival of fresh stocks by February-end could help in easing the supply situation a bit, but good export demand for Indian ginger in the absence of Chinese crop could push up domestic prices further, they added. Reports from London suggest that global prices of ginger could double with low production in the Far East because of harsh summer. Farmers in China, which contributes a third of the world's supply, are also planting less ginger these days after years of low prices.

Medical benefits

1. Ginger has carminative properties (anti spasmic) and can be used to calm in upset stomach, providing relief for the relief of bloating and gas. 2. The intake of ginger helps stimulate the secretion of mucus, quieting your cough and soothing any scratchiness I your throat. 3. Ginger has been proven (in multiple studies) to treat feelings of nausea, particularly in the form of seasickness, morning sickness, motion sickness and as a side effect of chemotherapy. 4. Ginger contains anti viral, anti toxic, and anti fungal properties, and is used for the prevention of and treatment against the common cold. 5. Ginger acts as an antihistamine and aids in the treatment of allergies. 6. Ginger displays anti inflammatory properties and can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and various other muscular disorders. The chemical components of the root are instrumental in inhibiting the biosynthesis of prostaglandins which are responsible for causing inflammation. Thus the root has proven to be a highly effective form of treatment, in some cases, even more so than the NSAID's that are traditionally prescribed.

7. Ginger contains special enzymes responsible for catalyzing the proteins in your food, thus aiding in digestion and the prevention of cramps. The ancient Greeks used to eat ginger after a large meal in order to ease the digestion process. 8. Due to its promotion of mucus secretion, ginger protects against the development of ulcers, unwanted holes in the lining of your stomach. 9. Ginger has proven to help lower your cholesterol levels and prevent the formation of blood clots. 10.Ginger is often used to settle an upset stomach or treat severe stomach ailments such as dyspepsia or colic. It is frequently used today in developing countries to treat diarrhea.