Divisi
When to plant Turmeric in Cotonou
Littoral, Benin
Turmeric is a leafy, ginger-like plant grown for the bright orange, aromatic rhizome (underground stem) hidden beneath it — the source of the yellow spice, the dye, and its own next-season seed.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 28 Feb 2027 – 9 Apr 2027 opens in 22 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 24.3 t/ha | about 30.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 26 Sep 2027 to 3 Feb 2028, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 210–300 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 159–282 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 97% | |
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 10 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Cotonou leans dry, so these dates sit later than the long-run average. Planting on the date you are used to risks germinating into a false start and having to replant.
Planting after 9 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Cotonou
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For turmeric in Cotonou, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The 2026 season in Cotonou
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2026 to November 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,103 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — September and October look short of rain. Plant at the early end of the window, favour quicker and more drought-tolerant crops, and keep moisture in the soil: mulch, and weed early. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 88% of this area. |
| 88% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 255 growing days · about 1,100 mm · March to November |
|---|---|
| 12% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 259 growing days · about 1,140 mm · March to November |
last updated 30 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What turmeric needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 50 cm between rows, 25 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium and nitrogen |
What it takes to grow turmeric in Cotonou
| Nitrogen (N) | About 85 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 19 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 146 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 159–282 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a turmeric crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow Turmeric with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Cotonou as a whole — your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates. The Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.
This calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
Will turmeric grow well in Cotonou?
Cotonou rates as favourable for turmeric.
When should I plant turmeric in Cotonou?
Typically 28 Feb 2027 to 9 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Cotonou, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
