What is Ginger?

Ginger is a root plant which grows annual stems of about a meter tall, bearing narrow green leaves and yellow flowers. Ginger belongs to the family of Zingiberaceae. It originated in the Southern Asian tropical rainforest and although it no longer grows wild, it is thought to have originated on the India subcontinent because the ginger plants grown in India show the largest amount of genetic variation.

Ginger has a high medicinal and food value, the plant is cultivated in large quantities by many farmers especially in the northern part of Nigerian.

In Nigeria, ginger root is mostly used to produce herbal medicines and to spice up foods in homes. They can be found in almost every local market in the country as either dried or fresh. Asides Nigeria, other countries where Ginger roots are grown and exported largely are Brazil, India, China, Jamaica, Australia and Sierra Leone.

The demand for Ginger in the international market today has gone up significantly because the root is now being used as raw material in the manufacturing process.

Types of Ginger Exported From Nigeria

1). Sun Dried Split Ginger: Sun dried split ginger is the most exported type of ginger from Nigeria. They're usually dried to boost the shelf life so it can be exported to any country around the world on a long voyage and for further storage. As a result, sun dried split ginger exporters in Nigeria are the most common ginger exporters found in Nigeria.

2). Fresh Ginger: Fresh ginger is far less exported in Nigeria than sun dried split ginger. Because of its short shelf life, fresh ginger needs to be shipped as soon as it is harvested, else, it would have to be dried before export.

3). Ginger Powder: Ginger powder is also exported from Nigeria after processing fresh ginger.