GINGER

Image ID: 5059367

Caption : A street vendor selling ginger in Kochi on June 10, 2005. With ginger prices dropping from Rs. 25 a kg to current Rs. 10 a kg, ginger farmers in the State face a bleak future. An almost three fold increase in ginger farming caused by a mad rush, followed by a debacle in the farming of vanilla, pepper, coffee, tea and cardamom and the onset of monsoon has pushed the prices down. The cost of seeds, fertilizers and other expenditure amounts to Rs 1,40,000 but the harvest in Kerala is less than 250 bags from an acre whereas in Karnataka it could be 400 bags. Photo: K.K. Mustafah