The Australian ginger industry - Department of Primary Industries

3.4.9 Post harvest
The post-harvest process for ginger varies according to end use—processing or the fresh market.
Processing
Following harvest, raw ginger for processing is loaded into
500 kilogram bins and freighted to the processor either by
using the grower’s own transport or contractors. The ginger
may be sent either washed or unwashed depending upon
the post-harvest processes employed by the grower. Once
the ginger is delivered to the processor, it is washed and
sorted for contaminants before being weighed and stored
in brine for preservation. Brine is a sodium metabisulphite
solution that prevents rhizomes from growing and preserves
the ginger against bacteria so it can used for processing at a
later date. Ginger may be stored in brine for over 12 months
before being processed. In Australia, the majority of the
ginger produced for the processing sector is supplied to the
Buderim Ginger factory.
The fresh market
Post-harvest practices for fresh ginger follow a similar process. Following fresh ginger harvesting,
ginger is washed and air dried. The ginger is then cut and graded according to size, shape and colour,
and packed into boxes by grade. Ginger offcuts from the grading process are typically supplied to juice
manufacturers or disposed of. Alternatively, some growers mulch offcuts for use as a fertiliser.
3.4.10 Labour
Ginger is a labour-intensive industry. There are currently
49 growers in Queensland, of which QPIF estimates 30 are
full-time growers. Based on research, it is estimated that the
industry employs approximately 200 full-time farmhands.
Additionally, the industry employs approximately 385 casual
staff during peak harvesting periods.
Mechanisation practices have been adopted by large and
medium-sized farms, mainly at the planting and harvesting
stages. Smaller farms still conduct most of their production
activities using manual labour.
Growers supplying ginger to the processing sector may employ two separate harvesting practices.
Some growers pull the ginger mechanically using mechanical pullers and collect their yield manually.
Alternatively, other growers conduct the entire harvesting process (pulling and collecting yield) using
manual labour only. In both instances there is a high need for labour during the period of harvest
(February to March). Growers hire casual staff during this period—in most cases they are either
backpackers or local seasonal workers.
Notably, growers have expressed concern regarding the difficulty in sourcing labour during peak
harvesting periods. In recent years, the number of people interested in working during the early harvest
season has decreased. Growers have also experienced difficulty in attracting good-quality workers that
are willing to undertake labour-intensive agricultural work.
Growers supplying the fresh market also require labour during the selection, grading and packing stages.
These activities are normally carried out by locals that are hired on a permanent basis. Large ginger
farms that harvest weekly (throughout the entire year) have the capacity to retain a pool of workers on a
permanent basis. However, medium- and small-sized farms (that do not harvest on a continuous basis)
experience difficulty in retaining staff. Growers such as these indicated that they regularly invest time and
effort into staff retention, and sourcing and training new employees.
The Australian ginger industry Overview of market trends and opportunities 15