Overview

Ginger is derived from the root of Zingiber officiale Rosc, which is a herbaceous perennial. It originated in Southeast Asia and has been used in this continent for a very long time. Ginger is a very useful spice; it can be used in cooking or as medicine. It is used as a carminative and aromatic stimulant to the gastrointestinal tract and externally as a rubefacient and counter-irritant. It is also famous as an aphrodisiac. In the West, ginger is used for making gingerbread, biscuits, cakes, puddings, soups, pickles, ginger beer, ginger ale and ginger wine.

India is the biggest ginger-producing and exporting country - it grows about 50 percent of the world’s supply. The other main ginger producers are China, Nigeria, Taiwan, Jamaica, Thailand and Australia. The biggest ginger importers are the United Kingdom, the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Ginger is an important spice in the Thailand. It has been widely used across the country for a very long time, especially for cooking, medicine and cosmetics. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Thai ginger production has decreased since 1998. In 1998/1999, the cultivation area was 71,916 rai, but dropped slightly to 51,789 rai in 1999/2000 and 50,317 rai in 2000/2001. The production of ginger in 2000/2001 was 131,387 tons, compared with 199,162 tons in 1998/1999 and 135,095 tons in 1999/2000.