With our Top End humidity and wet weather, an emerging greenhouse ginger trial is delivering promising results as part of a collaboration with the Territory Government and a commercial nursery in Darwin.
The Territory Government is working with industry to establish these opportunities to grow emerging agricultural sectors, by harnessing the Territory's competitive advantages. These include our humid climate and generous rain, but also a supply chain with the potential to facilitate further investment and jobs.
Mic Jakobi is having much success growing Ginger in tree bags and believes the Territory can establish a disease-free ginger industry, which could lead to premium prices for seed ginger – up to $25kg.
The trial, focuses on the production of two varieties, Queensland Gold and Canton and provides a practical opportunity to improve biosecurity and crop management practices for Ginger growers in the Territory.
The Australian ginger Industry has a farm-gate value of $32M and is currently concentrated in south east Queensland.
The project is in the early stage of a three-year project.
Quotes from Minister for Agribusiness and Aquaculture, Nicole Manison
"Our Plant industries - including our famous mangoes, melons and Asian vegetables is valued at $445 million and this trial presents another exciting economic opportunity with strong support from local growers and the broader industry."
"The preliminary results from the trial indicate the potential value from a hectare of greenhouse space of ginger is approximately $175,000."
"The Territory Government will continue to rebound from Covid-19 and work in partnership with local growers to provide research, development and extension services to increase profitability and sustainability of our Plant Industries."
Quotes from Michael Jakobi
"We're getting excellent results. We had problems with bugs, but we've sorted that out.
"I am hoping to grow commercial quantities for consumption but we need to deliver these trials and earn a reputation for clean, green, disease-free ginger first.
"I've employed Charles Darwin University horticultural student Madi Robertson to care for 550 pots of ginger in our Berrimah greenhouse.
"I love a challenge. I could be called a bloody idiot for always doing the hard stuff, but someone saying 'it can't be done' is like a red rag to a bull to me."
