Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is woven into Indian food, Ayurveda, and our traditional ceremonies. India is the largest producer and exporter of turmeric. Curcuminoids (including curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin) give turmeric its gold color. Aromatic turmerones in the oil contribute a warm, earthy scent. It’s used in curries, pickles, beverages, and traditional pastes. Rhizomes are boiled, dried, and polished before being ground, with color value and sieve size tailored to use.
Turmeric is cultivated as an annual for its underground rhizomes. It requires a hot and humid season to grow, taking about 7 to 9 months from planting to harvest. It is usually planted just before the monsoon rains and harvested when the leaves turn yellow and dry up. An acre typically yields 10 to 12 tonnes of fresh turmeric, which after curing and drying reduces to 2 to 2.4 tonnes. Proper post-harvest steps are crucial: fresh rhizomes are boiled, dried in the sun, and polished to develop their color and aroma. The crop is prone to diseases like bacterial wilt and rhizome rot, and lead contamination in soil has also been reported, so monitoring is essential.
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