If you’ve picked up a piece of ginger lately, you probably noticed it’s gotten pricey. You might even be wondering why your favorite ginger tea or stir-fry feels like a luxury these days. It’s not just bad luck at your local store. Since late 2023, a global ginger shortage has been driving prices up and making things tricky for grocers and shoppers everywhere.
Let’s break down exactly why this is happening, where ginger is becoming hardest to find, and what might change as we move into 2025. We’ll keep it straightforward—no jargon, just real-world info you can use.
The Main Causes: Farms Hit Hard in Key Countries
If there’s one country most people don’t realize is essential for their ginger supply, it’s Peru. A few years ago, Peru became one of the world’s top ginger exporters, sending huge volumes to North America and Europe. But in 2024, Peruvian farms started shrinking. Weather played a part, but so did the steep costs of production. Now, total Peruvian ginger exports are down 43% compared to just last year—and the local price for raw ginger has shot above US$2.75 per kilo.
Peru isn’t alone. Central American countries like Costa Rica and Honduras tried to step up. Markets in the U.S. and Europe started looking to these countries for help. But then Costa Rica got hit with a bacterial outbreak that wiped out about 40% of their ginger harvest. That’s a big loss for a country whose total production is much smaller than Peru’s to start with. Honduras, meanwhile, is still working on expanding its own growing capacity, so there’s only so much help it can offer right now.
Things aren’t better in Asia. Take the Philippines, where ginger is a kitchen staple. In 2024, a tough series of typhoons, plus the lingering grip of El Niño (a weather pattern that dries areas out), meant yields dropped by about 25%. Farmers lost much of their crop to the wild weather and extreme heat. That cut deeply into local supply and left even regular shoppers scrambling to afford the ginger they use every day.
Weather and Crop Disease: A Double Hit
Weather is a simple part of farming, but when things go wrong, it shows up quick in the price you pay. In Southeast Asia, storms and long droughts have battered ginger fields for months. When the Philippines was battered by typhoons and El Niño heat, farmers just couldn’t get ginger plants to thrive or even survive.
Meanwhile, Costa Rica and Honduras faced a different kind of enemy: bacteria. One aggressive ginger plant disease spread fast and, with limited resources, decimated nearly half of Costa Rica’s crop. The country had counted on a stronger season to make up for Peru’s drop-off, but that plan fell apart. After that, plenty of buyers were left without enough ginger to fill their shelves or their shipping containers.
What’s rough for one country gets multiplied fast when you’re talking about global trade. If even a small part of the ginger supply disappears in one place, everyone feels it a few months later. Grocery wholesalers in far-off places like South Africa or Germany just can’t get enough ginger unless they pay double—or even triple—what they did before.
Steady Demand Makes It Worse
We may be buying plenty of ginger for cooking, smoothies, or teas, but buyers in North America and Europe put the biggest pressure on global supply. Even with less ginger making it out of Peru or the Philippines, the international demand hasn’t fallen off. If anything, it feels like demand is still growing. Specialized food producers, wellness brands, and regular families are all competing for the same limited harvests.
When a shipment lands, importers know it’ll be scooped up quickly. Some buyers even pre-order their shipments months ahead, trying to lock in a better price—and sometimes getting left out when there’s just not enough to go around. You can see why each new batch that leaves a port in Peru or China is so closely watched.
The Impact on Global Markets: Price Shocks, Quality Swings
So, what does this all mean when you walk into a store or check prices online? In short—prices have surged. In South Africa, for instance, wholesale prices recently climbed to $10–16 per kilo during the worst supply gaps. Europe isn’t far behind, with spikes that importers say are the steepest they’ve seen in years. And even markets used to steady supply, like the U.S., are noticing the sticker shock.
Quality matters too. China remains a massive ginger exporter. When Peru’s output falls, buyers look to China to fill the space. But people in the trade will tell you: Chinese ginger is often less spicy or fibrous—not quite matching the punchy flavor chefs want from Peruvian or Costa Rican ginger. That means while there’s still some ginger out there, buyers who need top quality have no real choice but to pay higher prices.
This quality gap keeps the pressure on. Grocery buyers in Europe, North America, and Africa just keep paying more, rather than shifting easily to what’s available. And whenever a country like Peru hints at a bigger harvest, everyone hopes, but no one really expects a long-term fix.
Diving into Regions: How the Shortage Plays Out Around the World
Let’s zoom into a few regions. In Europe, big ginger importers like the Netherlands and Germany have had a tough year. Peru’s export drop hit the Dutch market hard, and buyers say they’re not sure when (or if) things will go back to normal. Meanwhile, prices are high enough that some small business owners are simply using less ginger—or switching to processed forms instead of fresh.
North America isn’t as exposed to wild swings in supply, but it is one of the largest buyers of Peruvian ginger. With Peru sending less, wholesalers in the U.S. are scrambling to cover shortfalls, sometimes seeking out smaller Central American farms or even less-preferred Chinese varieties to keep stock on hand.
South Africa, too, has felt the impact more than you’d expect. The high costs in international shipping, combined with the shortage, mean South African importers routinely pass on extra costs to local shoppers. If you think ginger is just expensive in New York or Paris, try shopping for it in Cape Town this year.
Back in Asia, the Philippines (and nearby growing regions) are toughing it out through their climate problems. Local shoppers are paying more at wet markets and big chains alike. Producers hope for better weather in the next growing season, but there’s no guarantee it’ll arrive.
What Could Happen in 2025?
You’re probably wondering if ginger’s price tag will finally come down next year. The truth is—it’s complicated.
Peru’s ginger season runs from June or July. Farmers and trade experts expect a bump of maybe 10–15% in next year’s crop, which could help. But with international demand so strong, that extra ginger might disappear as soon as it’s harvested and shipped.
If Costa Rica and Honduras can keep their crops healthy and safe from plant disease, they might rebalance the market a bit. But that’s a big “if”—bacterial outbreaks don’t always disappear in a single season.
As for the Philippines, long-term weather shifts caused by El Niño are still a risk. Typhoons continue to threaten output every year, regardless of planning. So, while some extra supply may hit in mid-to-late 2024, no one is calling an end to the shortage. Expect at least some level of high pricing—and a market that stays tense and unpredictable.
If you’re following along and want business updates as things change, you’ll find real-time coverage at sites like Daily Business Voice, where importers and retailers discuss how they adapt to supply squeezes like this.
Quick Table: The Factors Behind The Ginger Shortage
Here’s a cheat sheet of what’s fueling the problem:
| Factor | Details |
|————————|—————————————————————————————————-|
| Supply declines | Peru (-43% exports), Philippines (-25% output), major crop losses in Costa Rica |
| Weather/crop disease | Typhoons (Asia), El Niño, bacterial infestations (Costa Rica, Honduras) |
| Price impact | Record highs globally—especially in South Africa, Europe, and most import-driven countries |
| Demand | Staying strong in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia—rising wellness and food sector use |
| Outlook | Shortages and high prices likely to last through 2024, with only partial relief in early 2025 |
So even if you only use ginger occasionally, you’ll see higher prices for a while. Suppliers and growers are watching the next big harvest closely—but for now, both they and their customers are stuck with a tight market.
That’s where things stand as we head deeper into this year and the start of 2025. Buyers and sellers alike are hoping for a little more calm from Mother Nature and a healthier crop season. Until then, you might want to savor that ginger shot or fresh curry a bit more than usual.
Also Read:
