Divisi
When to plant Turmeric in Molqi
Gash Barka, Eritrea
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.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 21 May 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 30.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 17 Dec 2026 to 24 Aug 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 210–300 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 159–282 days per hectare, by hand |
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 Jun 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Molqi is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 28 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Molqi
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For turmeric in Molqi, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 88%. You cannot flatten it, but you can farm it: plant along the contour rather than up and down, ridge or tie ridges to hold water on the slope, and expect shallower rooting than the crop would manage on flat ground.
The 2027 season in Molqi
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | June 2027 to September 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 405 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 405 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.8 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, 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 77% of this area. |
| 77% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 87 growing days · about 480 mm · June to September |
|---|---|
| 22% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 92 growing days · about 540 mm · June to September |
last updated 16 September 2026
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 Molqi
| Nitrogen (N) | About 105 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 24 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 180 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 Molqi 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 Molqi?
Molqi rates as favourable for turmeric.
When should I plant turmeric in Molqi?
Typically 21 May 2026 to 28 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Molqi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
