• For vegetable ginger, the crop can be harvested from sixth month onwards.
• For dry ginger, harvest the crop between 245-260 days.
• After harvest, the fibrous roots attached to the rhizomes are trimmed off and soil is removed by washing.
• Rhizomes are soaked in water overnight and then cleaned. The skin is removed by scrapping with sharp bamboo splits or such other materials.
• Never use metallic substances since they will discolour the rhizomes.
• After scrapping, the rhizomes are sun dried for a week with frequent turnings.
• They are again rubbed well by hand to remove any outer skin.

Post harvest

• Ginger oil is prepared commercially by steam distillation of dried powdered ginger.
• The yield of oil varies from 1.3 to 3.0 per cent.
• The major use of ginger oil is as a flavouring agent for beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

• Oleoresin from ginger is obtained conventionally by extraction of dried powdered ginger with organic solvents like ethyl acetate, ethanol or acetone.
• Commercial dried ginger yields 3.5-10.0 per cent oleoresin.
• Ginger oleoresin is a dark brown viscous liquid responsible for the flavour and pungency of the spice