Ginger Rodent, Maine Farming, Price Rise & Success In Trinidad

Last week, Danny Alexander MP celebrated the launch of Ginger Rodent beer from the Cairngorm Brewery. For those of you who follow British current affairs, that event will probably raise a smile. But for those who don't, let me explain. Danny Alexander is the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, a British government cabinet post, and number two to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He also has red hair and represents a constituency in the Scottish Highlands. Last year, Harriet Harman, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, said of Alexander in a conference speech, "Now, many of us in the Labour Party are conservationists and we all love the red squirrel. But there is one ginger rodent which we never want to see again in the Highlands – Danny Alexander."

Commercial ginger growing seems to be moving further north in the US. A recent article in the Portland Phoenix featured the Good Shepherd's Farm in Bremen, Maine, which has just harvested its first ever crop of over 100 lb. I was also surprised to read in the same article about Freedom Farm, Maine's biggest ginger grower, which has harvested about 400 lb. At this latitude the ginger must be harvested young but as I've said before, baby ginger is becoming extremely popular in the US both cooked and raw in salads.

The climate in Maine is classified as Humid Continental Climate which is characterised by humid and warm to hot summers, and cold and snowy winters. This differs quite considerably from more traditional ginger growing regions such as India, Nigeria and Jamaica. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer will again sponsor Christmas programmes on ITV1, ITV2 & STV. The brand will also be running a TV advertising campaign starring the Tickety Boo couple George and Camilla. (Source: The Drum)

Here's an unusual story from Fiji. A septuagenarian former mathematics lecturer ignored advice from the Fijian government and planted ginger on dry sugarcane land in an area of the country not known for growing ginger. And he wasn't just dabbling. Master Dass planted three acres in March 2012 and has now harvested at least five tonnes. Other farmers are now hoping to emulate his success. (Source: The Fiji Times).

According to the Central Statistical Office of the Trinidad & Tobago government, ginger consumption in 2010 far exceeded local production following an increased demand for ginger products. So it was pleasing to see that farmers responded by raising production from 97,000 kg in 2010 to 186,800 kg in 2011 (an incredible 98% increase in just one year). As well as a larger harvest, the price of ginger also fell which must have made local consumers very happy.

We are nearly halfway through the rainy season in southern India. Running from October to December, the region receives a soaking from the Northeast Monsoon with most of the rain falling on one particular state - Tamil Nadu. As you can imagine, under these conditions there are going to be some monsoon-related ailments such as upset stomachs, colds and aching joints. To combat these, locals often resort to traditional herbal medicines. One of these, sukku malli kaapi, is popular in south Tamil Nadu. This is a brew made from dry ginger, coriander and lesser galangal (a member of the ginger family). (Source: The Hindu)

I've read that Indians like to chew a small piece of ginger with a very small pinch of salt to ward off the common cold. I chew a nugget of crystallised ginger each morning (without the salt) and although it hasn't stopped me from just having a cold, it certainly tastes good.

Still in India and the Deccan Herald reports that the price of ginger has increased considerably in the town of Chikmagalur in Karnataka. Last year, ginger fell as low as Rs 300 for a 60 kg bag. Last week, ginger was fetching up to Rs 2,200 a bag and harvesting only started this month. A number of factors have contributed to this rise. Winter in north India increases demand for ginger coffee and ginger tea. Demand also increases with the approach of the festival season. And, finally, there has been a low yield in the neighbouring state of Kerala.

One Indian festival where participants consume ginger food and drink, not exclusively I must add, is Diwali. This "festival of lights", which is about to end, is held across the country.

Here is an interesting article from the St.Louis Post-Dispatch on how a ginger liqueur business started. I must admit that it has given me a few ideas.

The Rutland Herald in Vermont has reported that a new brewery will open later this month. The reason I am interested is that one of the two launch beers from Foley Brothers Brewery will be of the ginger wheat variety.

New TV Advert, Jamaican Revival, Price Rise & Ginger Snap Ice Cream

Diageo’s Jeremiah Weed Root Brew is to appear in its first UK TV advert targeted at Scotland. The advertising campaign for the ginger drink will run for a month starting on November 1st. It will be focused on Scotland where the brand is proving popular. I tried a Root Brew recently and really enjoyed it. And in case you are wondering, I don't live in Scotland. (Source: Campaign Live)

In my last post I mentioned that the Great Lakes Brewing Company will be launching its Christmas Ale (complete with fresh ginger) on November 1st. I've just read on the Ohio Breweries Beer Blog that the brewery has joined forces with Mitchell's Homemade Ice Cream to create a Christmas Ale Ginger Snap ice cream. It contains the fresh ginger from the beer with extra organic ginger and homemade ginger snaps. Sounds like ginger heaven.

The ginger revival continues in Jamaica, according to the Jamaica Observer. Once grown in many parishes all over the island, ginger is now grown principally in the parish of Manchester. Research is being carried out by the locally based Christiana Potato Growers Co-operative (I don't know why either) which has been responsible for distributing 35,000 pieces of disease-free ginger of the Jamaica Blue and Jamaica Yellow varieties to selected co-operative members. The importance of the revival can be seen by the fact that Jamaica imports 70% of all that it consumes.

allAfrica reports that this week President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania has been on a working tour of the Kilimanjaro Region where he launched a ginger industry in Same District. Ginger has been produced in Same for about fifteen years but has been hampered by a lack of investment. Private sector investment is now becoming available which will allow reliable production for both domestic consumption and export to Kenya, Germany and the Netherlands. The President's visit should really be called a re-launch of the ginger industry.

Much Tanzanian ginger production is organic but because it cannot be certified as such, it is classed as non-organic. It is said that the reason it is grown organically is because farmers cannot afford any agricultural inputs like pesticides.

Autumn in the US generally means pumpkin beers and ales from American brewers. But not for Bison Organic Beer from Berkeley in California. For this brewery it is the welcome return of Organic Gingerbread Ale. Another one I'll never be able to taste. (Source: CraftBeer)

It is a good time to be a ginger farmer in the Nepalese district of Ilam, according to República. A year ago ginger fetched Rs 5 per kg. Today you can expect Rs 35 per kg, a 600 percent increase. And some traders are predicting that the price could rise further next month, possibly reaching Rs 45 to Rs 50 per kg. It seems that the reason for the increase is low production in some northern Indian states. But there is a downside to this news - Nepalese shoppers are having to pay more.

It is not unusual for Indian farmers to take out bank loans to enable them to grow ginger. But what happens when farmers are unable to repay the loans? The State Bank of India decided that it would sell the ginger at auction now. The farmers went to the Kerala High Court and argued successfully that the ginger would command a better price if sold during the peak ginger season next March. The ginger is now being held in state warehouses. (Source: The Times of India)

Diabetes Control, Ski On Ginger Beer, New Facility & Business Opportunity

A number of sources, including Australia's Sunshine Coast Daily, have reported the interesting news that ginger could help to control the blood sugar levels which create problems for long-term diabetics. A three-year study, conducted by the University of Sydney, found that ginger can increase the uptake of glucose into the muscle cells without the need for insulin. The ginger for the research was provided by Buderim Ginger from the neighbouring state of Queensland. (Additional source: Diabetes.co.uk).

The UK Trade & Investment website is advertising a requirement from a Japanese importer who is interested in sourcing ready-to-drink (RTD) soft drinks such as ginger ale, fizzy apple juice and herb drinks from a UK supplier. The deadline is 31/10/12.

It is the time of the year for flu vaccinations in New Zealand. But stuff has reported that tradional flu remedies have been flying off the shelves on South Island. Supermarkets are reporting an increase in sales of ginger, lemon and garlic as people take additional or alternative precautions.

Still in New Zealand and a report in the Otago Daily Times. The US winter Olympic ski team has based itself in Queenstown for the southern hemisphere winter. I particularly enjoyed the comment from Tim Jitloff: "The first thing I go for is a ginger beer and a meat pie." Hmm. Heaven.

Over to Australia and Jägermeister, the German 35% abv digestif, is launching a new RTD on the domestic market, according to The Shout. Jägermeister Ginger Lime is a blend of Jägermeister, ginger root and fresh lime. The launch follows last year's successful introduction of Jägermeister & Ginger Beer.

The Hindu Business Line reports that ginger farmers in the Indian state of Kerala will be eagerly awaiting a new development. The state government has announced that it will set up an integrated spice processing facility with a capacity to process 7.5 tonnes of fresh ginger a day. Four tonnes will be marketed as cleaned and waxed ginger with the remainder being used to produce both ginger powder and ginger oil. The need for this new facility has been justified on the grounds that harvesting coincides with the rainy season which means that sun-drying is not an option.

I do like The Fiji Times coverage of ginger. One day it could be about the importance of exports to Australia and the next day it could be about selling at local markets. Last year, the Fijian Ministry of Agriculture introduced a scheme to reduce the level of ginger imports. The scheme involves, amongst other things, encouraging new entrants to the world of ginger farming. One such farmer has just been featured in The Fiji Times and he appears to be a very happy man after his first year.

But there are some Fijian ginger farmers who are not so happy. The Fiji Times reported last week that some farmers can produce a good crop but cannot afford to send it to market as the cost of transportation is to high. Something for the government to think about.

Silver Sofi™, Crabbie's Sauces, Ginger Lager & Rising Prices

I'll start this week by congratulating those ginger products which are the National Association for the Speciality Food Trade's 2012 sofi™ Silver Finalists. This year's runners-up, to be honoured tomorrow in Washington D.C, are Japanese Ginger Chocolate Bar from Romanicos Chocolate, Ginger Peach Black Tea from The Republic of Tea, Ginger Soother from The Ginger People and The Latest Scoop Ginger Pear Sorbet from Cable Car Delights. You can see the other silver finalists here. Hopefully I will have a list of gold award winners next week.

Crabbie's was in the news again last week. This time, according to The Drum, it has launched two ginger flavoured sauces, Ginger Spiced Sweet Chilli Sauce and Sweet Ginger Splash, in the Asda supermarket chain. The sauces have been created in partnership with the increasingly popular sauce company, Trees Can't Dance.

Halewood International, producer of the Crabbie's range, plans to double in size, says the Liverpool Daily Post. It will be interesting to see how Crabbie's con>tributes to this growth.

The Retail Times reported that Firefly Natural Drinks has teamed up with Selfridges to launch a limited edition lemon, lime & ginger drink in a collectable yellow bottle. The drink will be available in all Selfridges stores to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics.

Lance Seeto is an Australian chef who works at the Castaway Island restaurant in Fiji and who also writes a weekly column for The Fiji Times. His column last week described how he was struggling to shake off cold symptoms brought on by the start of winter. Naturally, he was advocating the use of ginger as one of the remedies to strengthen the immune system. I've never really thought about winter in Fiji. According to Wikipedia, the average winter temperature in Fiji is a chilly 22C (72F). Where I live in the UK the average summer temperature seems to be a positively balmy 22C. It's all relative, I suppose.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Ted Baker, the British-owned international fashion chain, celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee week by giving out free ginger beer in its shops.

The Americans love their malt & hop beers with added ginger. The Utica Observer-Dispatch reports that the local FX Matt Brewing Company has launched a limited-edition Saranac Lemon Ginger in the style of a Belgian Saison. A Saison is a pale ale brewed for harvesting farm workers in Wallonia, and, by definition, is also for a limited period.

Still in the US and the Minneapolis St.Paul Business Journal introduced us to a new brewery and taproom called 612Brew. The brewery will launch with two regular beers and a summer seasonal beer (the one of interest to me) by the name of "Mary Ann". Mary Ann, named after a character from the 1960s TV series Gilligan's Island, is a German-style lager with added freshly grated ginger. Ginger is also a character from Gilligan's Island.

I'm always pleased when a restaurant uses ginger prominently in its signature dish. These dishes help to spread the word about ginger far beyond places where it is grown. The latest signature dish which I have discovered (on the Internet, that is, not in person) is Chocolate & Ginger Venison, from the Hildebrand Ristorante in Cape Town. A number of South African websites describe it as a fusion of Italian flavours and African flair.

Unfortunately, there was a ginger product recall last week. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported that Scholtens Inc has recalled Granny Appleton Crystallized Ginger in 125g packs owing to the presence of sulphites. The recall applies to packs sold in Ontario. I'm not sure whether sulphites are supposed to be in this product or that the level is too high.

In recent years, manufacturers have become more aware of the problems which sulphite ingestion can cause, particularly for those with respiratory disorders. Four years ago Queensland's Buderim Ginger started a two-year project to determine whether chlorine dioxide could replace sulphites as the preservative of choice. I've never read about the project's outcome but here is an interesting, and recent, report from the Queensland government on the same topic.

A smile must be returning to the face of many a ginger farmer in southern India. And the reason why? The price of ginger has actually started to rise. With most Indian ginger harvested during May and imported ginger not set to arrive yet, there is now a shortage in markets countrywide. This shortage has naturally translated into a rise in price. One farmer was so surprised by the increase that he decided to sell his crop which had been set aside for next season's seed. But some Indian farmers have missed out on the near three-fold increase in recent weeks. Farmers from Kerala leased land in the neighbouring state of Karnataka. As the leases expired by the end of May, these farmers had to harvest and sell their crops before the price started to rise. It is feared that the price will fall in the near future as cheaper imports from China reach the markets. (Sources: The Hindu, mathrubhumi, Deccan Herald)

Still in India and a story in The Telegraph about a ginger farmer in the state of Assam. An important source of income for him is the export of his ginger to Bangladesh. The best financial return is gained by exporting dry ginger as the drying process retains the quality and increases the shelf life. Unfortunately for him, there are no drying facilities in the region which means that he can only export ginger flakes. These flakes, which I imagine are painstakingly air-dried, have a more limited use and, consequently, a lower value.

Queensland's Sunshine Coast Daily has reported on a leaking dam and the potentially damaging consequences for ginger farmers who rely on the water supply. It hasn't been a problem so far as recent rain has replaced the leaking water but this can't continue once the weather changes.

Ginger Cider, April Fool, New Launches & Reducing Waste

Next month Alnwick, in north Northumberland, will play host to a cider and chilli festival, according to the Northumberland Gazette. One of the features of this event, organised by both the Alnwick Food Festival and the Alnwick Beer Festival, will be the unveiling of a collaborative effort from Thistly Cross and Belhaven Fruit Farm called Ginger and Chilli Cider. Both Thistly Cross and Belhaven Fruit Farm use locally grown produce where possible. Both businesses are based in Dunbar which is officially the sunniest place in Scotland (but not warm enough for growing ginger). I didn't realise until now that Thistly Cross already produces an alcoholic ginger infused cider. If you can get to the festival on May the 4th and 5th let me know what you think of this intriguing new drink.

If you are a student of British political history you may already know this. It is 1855 and Lord Palmerston, at the age of 70, has become British Prime Minister for the first time. Following the formation of his government, Benjamin Disraeli, a political foe, wrote to a friend that 'Palmerston is really an impostor, utterly exhausted, and at the best only ginger-beer, and not champagne, and now an old painted Pantaloon, very deaf, very blind, and with false teeth, which would fall out of his mouth when speaking, if he did not hesitate so in his talk'. They really did have a way with words back then.

Last Friday the 2012 budget was presented to the Guyanese parliament. It wasn't something I was waiting for in particular but my attention was drawn to a comment made by the finance minister, Dr Ashni Singh, regarding last year's successful introduction of a spice project. This project was introduced to promote diversity in hinterland communities by growing crops like ginger and turmeric. A Guyana Office for Investment aim is to become the breadbasket of the Caribbean whilst at the same time increasing exports to North America and Europe. The latest available UN Comtrade figures show that in 2010 Guyana was a net exporter of ginger with the Caribbean being the principal destination.

Today, as we all know, is April Fool's Day and it can be quite interesting and, at times, frustrating trying to find the obligatory spoof or silly story in the newspapers. Having found the story in my newspaper today I had a look at past stories and found a particularly relevant one in the Daily Express from 2006. "Scientists yesterday revealed that broken biscuits are in fact the perfect material to help resurface roads,” the Express informed us. “Years of experimental research revealed that crushed-up ginger nuts are the best biscuit for a road’s sub-base, as they are more porous and allow water to drain away.” The story was accompanied by a picture showing serried rows of gingernut biscuits being steamrollered into the tarmac. I love these stories.

The Jamaica Information Service reported on a scheme which is proving to be financially beneficial to many farmers. The Jamaica Exotic Flavours and Essences Company, in conjunction with the Jamaican government, will buy any produce which has been rejected by customers for being too small or unattractive and convert it into purees, flavours, essences and juices for the food and beverage industry. This scheme applies to a wide range of crops including ginger. It's difficult to imagine ginger being rejected for being unattractive. This is a scheme which can and should be adopted by many other countries.

Back in February I posted that Kumbalangi in the Indian state of Kerala would be the first flat coastal location to grow ginger, a crop normally associated with hill farming. IBNLive has now reported that the project officially started yesterday.

A new report on the spices and seasonings market states that the Asia-Pacific spice market will grow by 5.6% over the next five years, according to FnBnews.com. If you couple this with the increasing world demand for spices, driven by a growing awareness of the health benefits and a fascination for ethnic cuisine, then the outlook for farmers in countries such as India, China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Sri Lanka appears to be very positive indeed.

The Financial Express informs us that the eastern Indian state of Orissa has decided to identify horticultural crop clusters and then use these areas to develop a streamlined marketing infrastructure. Ginger clusters can now be found in the Phulbani and Koraput districts. The state is said to have perfect rainfall conditions for growing ginger, so good that it has now become self-sufficient in the crop.

Fentimans has launched a cool & less fiery version of its traditional ginger beer. The new drink is called, unsurprisingly, Cool Ginger Beer and will be available in the familiar 275ml bottles. It has been botanically brewed in the usual way with Chinese ginger.

Startup company Berry White launched a range of white tea-based organic drinks including a lemon, ginger & acai berry flavour. I like to think that if you are going to launch a new range then ginger is a must. The drinks were released to the trade at last week's Food & Drink Expo 2012 in Birmingham.

off licence news reported another launch last week when Stone’s Ginger Wine released a limited edition "Fabulously British" pack for this summer. This Accolade Wines product aims to highlight the brand's British heritage. Its lifespan will also cover the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the London Olympics.

Finally, a request from the Lancashire Evening Post. A Preston man is on a quest to find a part of his family history - a John Herbert ginger beer bottle. I know it is unlikely but can you help?

Making Ginger Beer, Memory Aid, Anti-Ageing & Seed Stock

It's very rare to find in the press details of the production process of a commercial ginger beer. So I was pleased to read a surprisingly detailed account in the Democrat and Chronicle of how the Ithaca Beer Company in New York State makes its non-alcoholic ginger beer. It was interesting to discover that the beer is made in small batches of about 775 gallons with each batch containing 40 pounds of fresh ginger root. The addition of pure cane sugar and lemon juice (widely accepted as essential ingredients) finishes off a ginger beer which only takes 45-60 minutes to produce.

Spotted this unusual cocktail last week - Shaky Pete's Ginger Brew. This drink can be found in Hawksmoor restaurants in London and is made from gin, homemade ginger syrup, lemon juice and London Pride, a premium ale from the Fuller's brewery.

I was reading a research paper from Thailand which has shown that ginger is a potential cognitive enhancer for healthy, middle-aged women. It appears that the research was prompted by the development of cognitive enhancers from plants possessing antioxidant properties. Although researchers at Khon Kaen University showed the benefit of ginger on the participants, I'm not convinced about why middle-aged women were identified as needing assistance. Apparently, "middle-aged women performed poorly in various areas of cognitive function including attention, calculation and immediate recall (assessed using Minimental state examination (MMSE))". I also found a similar research paper by the same team entitled 'Ginger Supplementation Enhances Working Memory of the Post-Menopause Women'.

Arabian folklore holds that ginger can improve memory. I really must remember to eat and drink more ginger.

Isthmus had a passing reference last week to an interesting beer planned for release next month. Vintage Brewing Company of Madison, Wisconsin, will be producing a spiced, strong golden ale called Jinja Ninja. According to the article it is sure to have spicy ginger qualities. The name of the beer sounded familiar and then I remembered. Jinja Ninja is also an award-winning English bottled beer from the Peerless Brewing Company which is brewed with root ginger, chillies and lemons. It is also an alcoholic boutique ginger beer from Sydney.

The Times of India carried an article on how to fight the health problems brought on by the change from winter to summer (whatever happened to spring?). Apparently there is an increase in colds and coughs caused by the extremes of day and night temperatures, viral infections and allergens. The article stated that consumption of ginger and garlic should be increased to build a strong immune system. I can manage that.

The Times of India has also published its list of the top six anti-ageing foods and it includes ginger. Actually, it includes the dynamic duo again - ginger and garlic. The article says that ginger helps to rejuvenate cells and prevent damage.

A Nigerian business consultancy blog informed me that about 92 percent of Nigerian ginger production is actually exported. It also told me that Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger and Gombe are Nigeria's ginger-growing states. And if I've read the blog correctly, it seems that the UK is the biggest importer of Nigerian (?) ginger in the EU, closely followed by the Netherlands and a long way ahead of Germany and France.

Last November I wrote about the sad cases of suicide amongst ginger farmers in the Indian state of Kerala. I thought that we had seen the end of this but last week The Hindu reported two new cases. One farmer in Wayanad was unable to repy his loans after wild animals destroyed his crops. The other farmer is said to have found it difficult to repay his debt following a sharp fall in the price of ginger. Let's hope that this is not the start of another spate.

In my last post I wrote about the Jamaican government's plan to match non-cash public assets with private companies finance. The Gleaner has now reported that two Jamaican companies, Salada Foods and P.A. Benjamin Manufacturing, have partnered with the agriculture ministry in a project to provide ginger and turmeric 'seed' stock. The project will be based at the government's Orange River Research Station. The seed stock will be grown under cover for eventual open field cultivation. For both companies, using Jamaican ginger will be a unique selling point.

The King’s Ginger, a ginger liqueur from Berry Bros & Rudd, is now available in Australia from this month. Australians will now be able to enjoy a drink which I first tasted and praised over a year ago.

The Hindu Business Line reported that shipments of Indian ginger have exceeded the government’s target for the first nine months of the current fiscal year. The target for the period was 10,000 tonnes but the country actually shipped 12,150 tonnes. Although the current price is double that of a year earlier, it is still $500 a tonne below the international price.

The same article also mentioned that cultivation of the internationally-renowned Cochin ginger is being reduced because of a drop in the price. This is surprising as Cochin ginger normally commands a premium which reflects its status. Its high quality and fibreless content makes it ideal for drying. I believe that there will always be a market for Cochin ginger so if the remaining farmers can stick with it, basic economics will dictate that the price and premium will eventually rise again.

Referring to the same information-packed article again, Kerala is home to a high oil content ginger commonly known as 'Ellakalan'. But because the extraction units in the state have now switched to cheaper low oil content varieties from Nigeria and Ethiopia, cultivation of Ellakalan has gradually disappeared.

The Financial Express reported that Indian ginger prices are likely to come under further pressure from cheaper Nigerian and Ethiopian imports. It also said that domestic prices will remain low because of record production, particularly in the south of the country. Traders believe that ginger consumption in the north will decline as the weather becomes hotter. Strange considering that in the West a chilled ginger drink is regarded as an ideal refreshment during the summer. Perhaps an enterprising ginger farmer in Kerala or Karnataka could produce a range of ginger-based soft drinks such as ginger and lime, and ginger and pineapple.

Alzheimer's Disease, Ginger Tea, Medicinal Plants & Corfu Ginger Beer

A leading authority on the causes and prevention of Alzheimer’s eats ginger every day to prevent the possible onset of the disease, according to a report in The Vancouver Sun. Neurology professor Pat McGeer, from the University of British Columbia, told the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Vancouver that ginger can help prevent the protein plaque buildup in the brain which leads to the disease. McGeer, who is 84 and still active in Alzheimer's research, said that as pharmaceutical companies are nowhere near finding a cure, it is quite reasonable for people to look elsewhere such as in their own kitchens. He also said that as well as ginger you could try blackberries, rhubarb, cinnamon, turmeric (from the ginger family), cranberries, pomegranate and blueberries.

Salada Foods is the largest coffee processing company in Jamaica and has been in coffee for over half a century. Last October the company, in a major departure from its core activities, launched a ginger tea. This drink is made, quite naturally, from Jamaican ginger. But now, according to the Jamaica Observer, the company has encountered a slight problem. In order to meet export demand for the new ginger tea they obviously need ginger. But Jamaica is not producing enough to meet the company's requirements. So Salada has started working with farmers and the agriculture ministry to increase production.

There has always been a strong relationship between man and medicinal plants. Right from the start of civilization plants have been used as medicine by men and animals, probably by animals before men. These were the introductory sentences to a workshop last week called, unsurprisingly, Man and Medicinal Plants. Organised by the Department of Botany at Bharathiar University in Coimbatore in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the aim of the workshop was to provide an understanding of how medicinal plants can be of use to man and to identify research opportunities. Zee News reported Dr K Nirmal Babu, Principal Scientist at the prestigious Indian Institute of Spices Research, who stated that spices, such as ginger and its close relative turmeric, play an important role in curing diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The modern study of the medicinal properties of food is known by the term nutraceutical, a portmanteau of the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical” coined in 1989 by Dr Stephen DeFelice.

There is small company in Columbus, Ohio, called Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams which has created a seasonal product called Influenza Sorbet. It contains bourbon, honey, lemon juice, ginger, cayenne pepper and orange juice.

Nigeria is a major ginger producer and exporter which seems to have cornered the market in dried-split ginger. Dried ginger can be offered whole but is usually in sliced or split form. The sliced version is easier for manufacturers to grind but tends to lose more flavour than the split version where the rhizomes are 'split' but not necessarily parted.

Ginger and other spices from the south-western Indian state of Kerala are very popular in many cities to the north. Until now these commodities have been transported by road with traders having to absorb or pass on the many costs incurred such as inter-state tax tariffs and road permits. The Indian Spices Board has now been offered a train service by Indian Railways to transport the spices and other products to cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and Jodhpur. The Business Standard also reported that the new train will be called "Kairali Queen" and will be faster and cheaper than by road.

Last week I learned all about the British occupation of the Greek island of Corfu. In 1809 the French ruled Corfu and the British had taken all of the other Ionian islands. Quite naturally the British wanted the complete set and made an unsuccessful attempt at invading Corfu. I don't really know what happened in between but in 1815 the Ionian Islands became a British protectorate known as the United States of the Ionian Islands with Corfu as the seat of the British Lord High Commissioner. The islands continued to be administered by the British until 1864 when they were handed over to Greece. So why am I telling you this? Well, the British have been in love with ginger for centuries and introduced ginger-based products to many parts of the world. They introduced ginger beer to Corfu and it became an instant hit. In fact, it has become so popular that many now regard it as Corfu's traditional refreshment drink. Known variously as "tsin tsin birra" and "tzitzibira", the drink is made with grated ginger, lemon juice, lemon oil, water and sugar.

It has been nearly a year since Sri Lanka embarked on a major initiative aimed at changing the way people lead their lives. In the past Sri Lanka was built around a network of self-sufficient villages where households produced much of their food requirements themselves and those with larger areas of land produced excess quantities to sell in town markets. This lifestyle changed following the arrival of first the Portuguese, then the Dutch and finally the British. The aims of this new initiative, known as Divi Neguma, include restoring self-sufficiency, food security, healthy diets and reducing malnutrition. The government has provided households and farmers with seeds and plants (including ginger) and assistance as part of the project. The report in the Daily News also stated that Sri Lanka's vegetable and fruit consumption is less than half that of a developed country.

An Australian woman was feeling ill last week so she went to the shop to buy some ginger ale and, presumably on impulse, a lottery ticket as well. She won over A$3.3million.

Brigadier Kasirye Gwanga is the Ugandan Presidential Advisor on Military Affairs. He is also a shrewd farmer as well, according to allAfrica. Gwanga benefited from the vanilla boom from the mid-1990s until the mid-2000s. Now that the boom is over he has diversified into ginger and believes that he will become the largest grower of the crop. He has noticed that ginger, which has been grown for many years in Uganda, has now become scarce and domestic demand has to be supplemented by imports from Kenya. It looks like he has spotted an opening there.

The Ugandan government has predicted that preserved ginger has a big future. This prediction has been backed by a plan to build a ginger processing plant. But there is one problem - an insufficient supply of locally grown ginger. I couldn't possibly suggest that the Ugandan government speak to Kasirye Gwanga because of the obvious conflict of interest. But surely there must be plenty of farmers who could also start ginger cultivation now that they no longer produce vanilla.

I've come across a number of unverifiable reports that there is more incentive for Indian farmers to grow ginger this coming season than turmeric.

I'm going to finish with something unpleasant. The Miami Herald featured Andrew Zimmern, a TV celebrity who eats unusual foods. The article described his visit to an uninhabited Samoan island where he ate grilled giant fruit bat seasoned with ginger juice. Personally, I would never have used ginger but if you haven't got any cranberry sauce to hand what are you supposed to do?

Old England, Ginger Port, Sustainability, Tourism & Salted Ginger

I was interested to find a reference in the Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary to Gingifran broþ which translates as ginger broth. I knew that the Romans introduced ginger to Britain but this is the first evidence that I've seen which shows that the Anglo-Saxons, who settled in Britain after the Romans, continued to import and consume ginger.

I also discovered Thomas Rymer's Fœdera, a sixteen volume collection of "all the leagues, treaties, alliances, capitulations, and confederacies, which have at any time been made between the Crown of England and any other kingdoms, princes and states". Rymer was a 17th/18th century English Historiographer Royal. One of the volumes contains a reference to an unnamed Genoese ship which was shipwrecked at Dunster, in Somerset, in 1380. Part of the cargo consisted of green ginger which today refers to young ginger but back then meant ginger cured with lemon juice.

It is only a matter of weeks before the Australian ginger harvest begins. To be precise it will be early harvested ginger. Ginger is normally harvested when the above-ground growth has started to die back or at least turned yellow but early harvested ginger will still have an actively growing green stem. Early ginger rhizomes are tender and fleshy with a relatively mild flavour and can either be eaten fresh or preserved in syrup or brine (known as preserved or stem ginger). Australia and China are world-leaders in the production of preserved ginger.

Still in Australia and Ginger Sundowner from Bell River Estate in central New South Wales. Bell River Estate produces table wines and fortified wines from its own grapes and grapes from the local area. One particular product I noticed was Ginger Sundowner, a white fortified wine flavoured with a natural ginger extract. Sandra and Michael Banks took over the business in 2000 and have since created a diverse range of wines. Ginger Sundowner was only introduced six months ago and sales have been good which shows the popularity of ginger. Sandra and Michael were looking for a product which would suit long, hot summers and came up with the idea of a ginger-type wine, something that would be good to drink both on its own and mixed with another drink. Sandra likes it with soda water at a BBQ but says it goes equally well with dry ginger ale, lemonade, as a dash in beer or mixed with whisky. She also recommends using it in stir fry dishes and marinated cantaloupe and watermelon.

Whilst researching and writing about Ginger Sundowner I discovered that the term "port", as a synonym for fortified wine, can no longer be used for Australian wines. Australian winemakers have been banned from using the words Port, Sherry and Champagne on their labels following objections from the EU. In return, 117 of Australia’s geographical indicators, including Barossa, Coonawarra and Margaret River, will be protected in Europe.

A week ago the 11th World Spice Congress was held in India to discuss the theme of "Sustainability and Food Safety: Global Initiatives". One outcome, reported in FarmingUK, has been the appointment of the Rainforest Alliance to adapt current sustainability standards to include spice production. The Sustainable Spices Initiative has asked the Rainforest Alliance (a non-governmental organisation) to incorporate spices into the Sustainable Agriculture Network. The first phase of the project will run from 2012-2015 and will target seven spices (including ginger) from Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Madagascar.

The Sustainable Spices Initiative (SSI) is an international spice consortium founded by a number of Dutch spice businesses and now includes Unilever and McCormick. It seeks to reduce the use of pesticides and chemicals, conserve biodiversity, increase yields and training farmers on appropriate food safety requirements. This, according to the SSI website, should lead to an "economic boost for farmers, processors, traders and retailers, and to securing the future supply base of natural spices".

The Sustainable Agriculture Network is an international coalition of leading conservation groups which aims to link "responsible farmers with conscientious consumers by means of the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal of approval".

Over recent years India has pioneered the concept of the model tourism village. These villages are allocated extra funding to help them provide tourists with a memorable experience. The first model tourism village in India was created in 2003 in Kumbalangi, an island-village in the state of Kerala. Tourists can go fishing with local fisherman, visit the paddy fields and walk in the mangroves. The village made the news last week when IBNLive reported that the Kumbalangi Model Tourism Development Society will introduce ginger and turmeric (a member of the ginger family) cultivation. The report stated that this could be the first time that these traditional hill farm crops are being cultivated in a flat coastal village. These crops will be planted as an intercrop between rows of coconut trees to give even more interest to tourists.

Strong demand from Japan and the US for salted ginger has enabled a Vietnamese company to expand and create jobs. dailymaz.com reported that Thanh Lan Enterprise in Kon Tum City is performing so well that it has built a new ginger processing factory.

You're not going to believe this but I found a patent application for a salted ginger toothpaste. Filed in 2004 by China's Chengzhi Co, there is no evidence that I can find that the toothpaste actually reached the shop shelves.

Next month will see Greenlight Beverages launch its Chronic Ice Ginger Ale in the US alternative drinks market. The drink will be made from real ginger extract, cane sugar and hemp seed powder. I'm not entirely sure what the alternative drinks market is. Is it anything new? Is it anything natural? Is it anything that is not a cola? Let me know.

A recipe containing ginger leaves made me realise that I know very little about this part of the plant. It seems to be quite popular in the Far East which probably explains why I've yet to see it in the UK. It could be that ginger leaves don't travel that well. I did come across a report on the antioxidant properties (AOP) of ginger leaves which indicated that the majority of leaves tested had significantly higher AOP values than in the rhizomes. Interestingly, the report mentioned that the ginger plants being tested came from three plant tribes, all of which belong to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae).

Captain Scott, Indian Christmas Beer, Skills Shortage & Ginger Tea

Well, by now everyone must have welcomed in the New Year. I hope that all you have wished and worked for comes to fruition. I'm certainly looking forward with excitement to the coming year. Why? I'll let you know in due course.

The Telegraph revealed the Christmas menu enjoyed by Captain Scott and his team during their doomed 1911-12 attempt to be the first people to reach the South Pole. Although thwarted in their bid by Roald Amundsen, on Christmas Eve 1911 the confident team tucked into horsemeat flavoured with onion and curry powder. This was followed by an arrowroot, cocoa and biscuit hoosh (a thick stew); plum pudding; cocoa with raisins, and finished off with a dessert of caramel and ginger. If you live within easy reach of London, you may be interested in an exhibition commemorating the centenary of the polar explorers attempt which opens at the Natural History Museum on January 20th.

Occasionally I've mentioned about new ginger-spiced beers which seem to be very popular these days, particularly in the UK and USA. So I was pleased to read on livemint.com about an Indian beer brewed with the spices traditionally associated with a Christmas cake. The Biere Club, Bangalore's first craft brewery, has created a Christmas brew, with ginger amongst the ingredients, for the festive season only or until the limited run of 2,000 litres has been sold.

The other day I came across a beer called Old Danish Braggot. This has been brewed with honey and ginger from a recipe dating back to 1700 by the Dansk Mjød A/S brewery in Billund, Denmark. Incidentally, Billund is the home of Lego and well worth a visit. I've since discovered that a braggot is a type of beer made, according to Beer Advocate, by "blending spices and herbs with mead and beer to produce a strong concoction with uncommon flavours". Now there's an excuse to take the family to Legoland.

I'm not a science fiction fan so I apologise if I've discovered something which you already know. Today I read about a collection of books (which I've never read) by the American writer Harry Turtledove (who I've never heard of) which feature aliens, known as The Race, who invade Earth during the Second World War. Apparently, these aliens find ginger so addictive that it has the same effect on them as cocaine does on humans. Can anyone tell me whether ginger features heavily in the stories?

You may remember a couple of recent posts in which I referred to the Indian state of Orissa. Well, on the 1st November 2011 it changed its name to Odisha. I mention this because the following story from Orissadiary.com refers to the new name. Odisha is an important producer of ginger and there is a possibility that the state may run out of ginger farmers. A study by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), an Indian Ministry of Finance quango, has identified a shortage of 2,600,000 skilled workers by 2026 in Odisha alone. The aim of the NSDC is to provide the appropriate training to enable people to either gain employment or become self-employed. One particular area in need of assistance is ginger processing industry and the recently discovered financial benefits of adding value.

I'm sure that I read the other day about another ginger-producing country, Malaysia I believe, and the difficulties it is already facing with a shortage of English-speaking workers. What I did definitely read about Malaysia was an academic study into the chemical variations of three locally grown ginger cultivars. A team from the International Islamic University in Pahang wanted to know whether the previously detected chemical variations could be attributed to genetic factors rather than environmental or intrinsic factors. A metabolic fingerprinting exercise using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry revealed that the variations were due to genetic effects.

The Kerala state government in India has declared Wayanad an agri crisis area following the recent spate of farmer suicides. This news, briefly reported in IBNLive, also stated that farmers were expected to get assistance and relief.

BBC America carried a personal view of the drinking habits of British people, A New Year’s Guide to British Booze. If you navigate to page five of this ten page gallery you will see an entry for alcoholic ginger beer. I can confirm that alcoholic ginger beers are a big hit here in the UK and I'm sure that there will be more to come this year. And this is in addition to the renaissance in ginger-spiced real ales.

GantDaily.com, from central Pennsylvania, reported the interesting story about the effects of rising sea levels and the consequent saltwater intrusion in Vietnam's fertile Mekong Delta. This has necessitated a major rethink regarding the crops that are grown and simple farming fixes. Oxfam has piloted a small project to help farmers with hardier varieties of watermelons and introduce simple methods to save fresh water. Oxfam has now started a similar project with ginger. I must contact Oxfam for progress on this particular project.

Something that has become quite widespread but which I first picked up on China Daily was the story that Simon Cowell attributes his 'youthful looks' (not my words) to drinking ginger tea all day and a few other things. I can't be bothered to write anymore about this except to say that I'm going to start drinking ginger tea on a regular basis. Just a coincidence, I'm sure!

Ginger Xmas Hit, Winter Beer Festival, Ginger Wine & Increased Earnings

I was extremely pleased to read in the Daily Mail last week that ginger is the big success story in the UK's food and drink sectors this Christmas. The Mail quoted a recent statistic that exports of root ginger from India, the source of the cheapest good quality ginger, have gone up by 76pc year on year. I think that the implication was that UK ginger food and drink products use Indian ginger rather than, say, Chinese ginger which has a strong presence in the UK. My feeling is that Chinese ginger is popular in its raw form for domestic consumption but Indian ginger is preferred for manufactured products.

It's only a month until the 2012 National Winter Ales Festival at the Sheridan Suite in Manchester. The festival, according to CAMRA, will feature over 300 real ales, foreign beers, ciders and perries. The British draft beers category should contain a number of beers with ginger. The 1648 Brewing Co from near Lewes in East Sussex will supply Ginger No.1, a blend of smoked malt and root ginger. The Beartown Brewery from Congleton in Cheshire will supply a blonde ale called Ginger Bear. The Marble brewery from Manchester will be supplying a beer that I know absolutely nothing about. Finally, Robinsons from Stockport will present its famous Ginger Tom, a speciality strong ale brewed with Chinese bruised ginger root.

I discovered on the 1648 website that the Ginger No.1 beer was originally called Ginger Nol. But why Ginger Nol? (I often ask that about many beer names). Well, Oliver Cromwell had red hair and his nickname was "Old Nol". Nol is an old word meaning lump or stump which can be loosely translated as head. Hence we have Ginger Nol! The brewery had to change the name as people insisted on calling it Ginger No.1.

The Times of India reported on Christmas in Nagpur, the largest city in central India and the third largest city in the state of Maharashtra. It mentioned that as winters are cold, ginger wine is very popular because "it creates heat in the body and soothes the throat". The average low temperature for the city is 12C (54F) which, to me, doesn't seem that low but when you have a peak average high of 42C (108F), I would probably find 12C a touch chilly. I also learned that although Mumbai is the state capital, Nagpur is the winter and auxiliary capital. I can't find out why the state needs a winter capital; does anyone know?

JustLuxe, an online affluent lifestyle guide, featured Elixir G, the world's only liquid ginger mix. The Los Angeles-based drink can be used in cocktails, salads and desserts. I was drawn to the article by the paragraph describing the selection and production process. The best ginger root in the world, according to the drink's creator Bill Tocantins, is sourced from a number of countries including Thailand, Brazil and India. Ginger root extract is combined with lemon juice and pure cane sugar to produce a natural drink with no preservatives, chemicals or dyes. I've no idea how you get hold of it.

There has been a surprise development in the sad story of the ginger farmer suicides in the state of Kerala in India. IBNLive has reported that farmers from Wayanad, the epicentre of the crisis, are leasing land in the neighbouring state of Karnataka for next September in the hope that the price of ginger will rise. Another IBNLive report stated that a report on the ginger farmer migration will be submitted to the Keralan state government. An IPS story on the same subject has said that the agrarian crisis is severe. A researcher in agrarian distress told IPS that there "was a huge gap between income earned from agriculture and the input costs incurred by farmers".

After reading about the crisis caused by the drop in the price of ginger, it was strange to read about the big increase in earnings from Indian ginger exports in the first seven months of this fiscal year. Earnings more than doubled from Rs 43.47 crore (434,700,000) to Rs 105.42 crore (1,054,200,000).

And finally, what are ginger infused hot towels? I've noticed that a number of health clubs, spas and beauty salons offer this ginger steam towel treatment but, to be honest, I've no idea what it does apart from opening and cleansing the pores. Let me know if you have had this treatment or recommend it. What does the ginger do?

Ginger Tea Sponsors Volleyball, Agricultural Downsizing, Missed Export Deal & Ginger Coffee

I was browsing through some Google Hong Kong search results last week (I don't know why as I can't read Chinese) and came across a character called "Ginger the Big" (see right). Apparently, this little fellow is the key brand for Shandong Manhing Food Company who were selected as the exclusive ginger supplier at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. I really must come up with a little character of my own.

Still on a sporting theme, I discovered that GingerLove, a rather nice ginger tea from Belgium, will sponsor the female Belgian beach volleyball team as they prepare for next year's Olympics. Incidentally, you can read our review of GingerLove on the All Things Ginger website.

Manila Standard Today reported on a Philippines government scheme to encourage farmers in the Highlands to switch from illegally growing marijuana to making an honest living from other crops. Farmers in the towns of Kapangan and Kibungan have chosen to grow ginger on a large scale whilst farmers elsewhere have opted for a range of activities from cattle and pig farming to silkworms.

I came across an unusual use for ginger the other day when I read on nebusiness.co.uk about the recent launch of a ginger muscle rub. Natural Hero, a UK start-up in the north east of England, has developed a couple of herbal rubefacient products including one called Hot Ginger Muscle Rub. The company has worked with experts in medicinal plant research and molecular dermatology at Newcastle University to develop the products which contain 98pc natural ingredients. Although these products have been commercially available for a couple of months, they are still being tested by a range of athletes including runners, cyclists and surfers. I gather the ginger rub does not have much of a smell which, for me, is a big plus point.

The Jamaica Observer reported that the Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will be reviewing the number of crops which the country grows commercially. The idea behind this exercise is that the country should be concentrating on those crops which have a competitive and comparative advantage. The minister, Robert Montague, says that the ministry should "put all our resources behind them and, therefore, maximise the earnings from them". It is planned that the current level of 64 crops will be reduced to 20 core crops, one of which will be ginger. This appears to be a case of a government adopting a business practice which has become common in recent years - downsizing and concentrating on core products and values.

Having just said that Jamaica will be putting more resources into ginger, the government must be livid that the ginger industry has just failed to win a J$500 million (US$6m) contract to supply ginger to US-based Reed's Inc, one of the largest naturally brewed ginger soft drinks manufacturers in North America. The Gleaner reported that Chris Reed, the founder and CEO of Reed's, had been unable to find a reliable supplier and also had issues obtaining an export licence. Reed's will now import 1.5 million pounds of ginger a year from South America (which I assume means Brazil). The Jamaican government believes that the country has the potential to supply 170 tons of ginger but is only exporting a mere 15 tons. The Reed's contract could have increased the export market from 170 to 820 tons, a figure which will surely give both the government and the industry itself food for thought.

The Hindu reported that police in the Indian state of Kerala are hoping to reduce night-time accidents by offering drivers ginger coffee. Certain points on the State Highway are known accident black-spots with nearly 300 people killed so far this year. The police are concentrating their resources (and ginger coffee) at these locations, particularly during the Sabarimala season. (Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage centre in Kerala which attracts 45-50 million followers a year).

I knew Crabbie's wouldn't be out of the news for long. Last week Halewood International, who own the alcoholic ginger beer, reported a massive rise in pre-tax profits from £8.8m to £15.8m. Oh, I'm sure that I saw Crabbie's on sale at Tesco yesterday at 3 for £5.

Congratulations to the pupils of Pathways to Technology Magnet High School in Windsor, Connecticut who have just won the Innovative Beverage category in the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship World Series of Innovation competition. They created GinTropic, described by Hartford Business Journal as "a caffeine-free, tropical fruit juice-infused line of ginger ale soft drinks aimed specifically at improving brand recognition and sales of Seagram’s ginger ale by Coca-Cola". The category was sponsored by Coca-Cola.

A Healthy Return, Ginger In Winter & The Rise Of Alcoholic Ginger Beer

Last Monday the Sri Lankan president made another call for the country to become self-sufficient in ginger whilst delivering his 2012 budget to parliament. His vision of "food security" follows an earlier government initiative which offered fertiliser subsidies to ginger farmers.

Back in June I wrote about the Fijian government's plan to offer squatters the opportunity to become ginger farmers. For one community of 25 ex-squatter families, they have just learned of the projected return from next March's harvest - $40,000. The families were previously squatting on the Jittu Estate, a district of the capital Suva known for its links to crime and unemployment. They relocated to Lomaivuna, an area known for its ginger farming, in July last year as the first beneficiaries of the Lomaivuna Integrated Agriculture Rehabilitation programme. Here they planted five acres each of ginger, cassava and dalo. It is hoped that soon the families will move to another 90 acres of farmland in nearby Vanuakula. You can read more about this story in the following two Fiji Times articles "40K from ginger sales" and "Squatters progress under farming scheme".

It's been a quiet week on the Crabbie's front. The only thing I found was a press release stating that the drink was being exported to Australia but I had already mentioned that three weeks ago. I expect another company announcement this coming week. Why? Because we didn't have one last week!

I found an interesting statistic the other day on the Waitrose Media Centre site. Waitrose, for those of you who don't know, is an upmarket supermarket chain and the sixth largest grocery retailer in the UK. We've known for a while about the rapid rise in alcoholic ginger beer sales in the UK but I was astounded to read that sales of this type of drink increased by 380pc during 2010 in Waitrose stores. I wouldn't be surprised if the Crabbie's launch the previous year had a lot to do with it.

Unfortunately there have been more suicides amongst ginger farmers in the Indian state of Kerala. A common feature of this crisis seems to be a demand for the farmers to make a loan repayment at the same time as the market price for ginger has plummeted. The fact that rubber farmers further south are still receiving a good price for their product and are exhibiting a lower suicide rate might lend credence, in some people's eyes, to the loan argument. This crisis has now developed enough for a difference of opinion to emerge between the state government and the main opposition party. I'm not going to get involved in that. But I will ask that help, whether from the state, charities or farming organisations, be given to the poor widows who must now contend with managing the business as well running the family home and, of course, grieving.

The Times Of India had a short article extolling the virtues of consuming ginger in winter. I cannot confirm the efficacy of ginger on health but there must be something in it if it has been used for centuries.

Here is a Christmas gift suggestion (and I'm not hinting for me unless you really want to) - The King's Ginger Truffles from Charbonnel et Walker. I will say that I don't earn any commission from this suggestion. In fact, I've never even tried the truffles. But, as I've mentioned before, I do like the drink.

And to finish I think that I may well start a regular section containing the latest ginger products to appear on the market. Last week saw the arrival of a ginger- flavoured Cactus Jack's Schnapps and a white stilton with chocolate and ginger from Long Clawson.

Busy Week For UK Ginger Beer, Flooding, Increased Exports & Boozy Award

It has been a busy week for British alcoholic ginger beers. It started with Ginger Joe making its TV debut (see below) with a spoof moustache advert. This was followed by the launch of this year's Crabbie's Christmas TV advertising campaign featuring the popular retro duo George and Camilla. I cannot find a YouTube video for Crabbie's so in the interest of fair play I will offer a link to the Crabbie's TV advert page. And later in the week it was announced that Scottish brewer Williams Brothers has started exporting its alcoholic ginger beer to Australia.



I've mentioned before about how the weather can have a devasting effect on farming businesses. Fresh Plaza reported last week on the plight of farmers in Thailand after 740,000 acres of farmland succumbed to flooding. The forthcoming harvest of ginger will be unaffected as the growing region escaped the floods. Not so lucky are ginger farmers in Taitung County in eastern Taiwan who have suffered extensive damage following 400mm (15.75 inches) of rain in two days. Farmers here are hoping that the central government will activate its compensation scheme.

Continuing last week's story about the spate of suicides in the ginger farming community in the Indian state of Kerala, reports are emerging which seem to indicate that it was the fall in the price of ginger which was the primary contributing factor. By early last week the number of suicides had, sadly, increased to seven. Before the current growing season started, ginger fetched Rs 2,500 per 60kg bag. Then Nepalese ginger reached the Indian market causing the domestic price to plummet to Rs 500, an 80pc fall. Unfortunately, the farmers had to borrow their start-up funds from money lenders and micro-finance institutions as the banks would not advance them loans. With an input cost per acre of Rs 250,000, a harvest yielding less than Rs 150,000 per acre and an interest rate on the loans as high as 24pc, it is not difficult to see why ginger farmers are facing considerable hardship.

These figures seem awfully high when you consider that the total value of Indian ginger exported to Pakistan in the last financial year was Rs320 million.

The Spices Board of India has released its export figures for the April-September half year and it shows that India exported 8,000 tonnes of ginger, a rise of 44pc compared to the same period last year. The value of these exports increased by 151pc to Rs 90.02 crores (Rs 900.2 million).

Congratulations to Boozy Infusions for winning Best Drink at this year’s deliciouslyorkshire food and drink awards for its Jamaica Ginger Cake Infusion liqueur. I'm intrigued to find out more about this unusual drink which has been described as having a 'knockout aroma'.

Well, I managed to buy a couple of packets of the limited edition Dorset Cereals gingerbread porridge after visiting the only stockist in my area three times in four days. I haven't tried it yet so it had better be good.

Cooperatives, Cricket Fighting, Aromatherapy & Virginian Grown

I've been reading a report about a biosecurity meeting between Fiji and Australia which was held , I assume, quite recently. One of the items on the agenda was an update on Fiji's request to export fresh ginger to Australia. Unfortunately I am not aware of the outcome of the discussions but what I did learn was that ginger is not in the top two agricultural products grown in Fiji. The top two positions go to sugar followed by taro. The report quoted the Fijian agriculture minister, Colonel Mason Smith, as saying "Fiji’s ginger is renowned for its unique flavour and has the potential to become one of the country’s leading agricultural exports".

Today I shall be attempting to find a box of the limited edition gingerbread porridge from Dorset Cereals. I'll let you know if I find some and what it tastes like.

The Shanghai Daily reported last week that the previously fluctuating price of Chinese ginger has now returned to its normal level following three interest rate rises so far this year. Another report, this time from Shandong, said that Chinese ginger farmers are so concerned about the prospect of future price fluctuations that they are joining forces with ginger processing companies to form cooperatives. These cooperatives will offer farmers contracts at competitive prices to hedge against potential losses.

Still in China and an article in the Indian Express with the headline "A game of cricket in China". I must admit that I read the article because I was intrigued to find out who was actually playing cricket (the sound of leather on willow, polite clapping and a lush green vista) in China. I was surprised to find that the article was all about crickets, the insects, and the rapid rise in popularity of cricket fighting. I learnt a little about a disappointing fighter by the name of Big Red Belly and his strict liver, tofu and ginger diet. I'm sure his lack of success had nothing to do with the ginger.

A novel approach to calming passengers' pre-flight nerves has been unveiled at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow. Four different aroma schemes will be dispersed around the airport complex through the ventilation system. The schemes will include a variety of extracts from plants such as vanilla, jasmine, lavender and ginger. This really is aromatherapy on a big scale.

It is always interesting to read about people who have just embarked on a ginger farming career, particularly in areas not traditionally known for producing the crop. Last week I read about Charlie and Miriam Maloney who have just harvested their first baby ginger crop from their farm in Virginia, USA. Although planted initially in a heated environment the ginger plants spend most of their time growing in unheated high tunnels. Officially this is only a trial but the early indications are that this will be a success. The trial is a collaboration between the farmers and Virginia State University with funding from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Baby ginger seems to be very popular in the USA for its tender quality. The Los Angeles-based ginger ale company, Reed's, uses baby ginger extensively in their ginger products.

The ginger farming community in the Indian state of Kerala is trying to come to terms with the news that three farmers have committed suicide in unconnected incidents in the last week or so. It has been said that each farmer had been affected by an inability to repay loans following a fall in the price of ginger. There is a sense of deja vu here as this happened in the same state in early 2000. Unfortunately, and possibly worryingly, many more ginger farmers could find themselves in a similar position of being unable to service a debt. So what has caused this situation this time? A shortage of ginger last year resulted in higher prices which, in turn, encouraged more farmers to start growing the crop this year. But the increase in the number of ginger farmers has now led to a shortage of land which has forced up the cost of both land and land leasing. In most cases farmers will have taken out loans to either buy or lease land. These farmers are now finding it difficult to repay their loans. The Keralan state government has responded by sending a team to the Wayanad district, where the suicides occurred, to investigate and compile a report.