Divisi
When to plant Turmeric in Ambatondrazaka
Alaotra Mangoro, Madagascar
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 | Moderate | |
| When to plant | 13 Oct 2026 – 2 Nov 2026 opens in 2 weeks | 20 Jul 2026 – 18 Sep 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 7.1 t/ha | about 19.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 11 May 2027 to 29 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 meets its needs | 54% | |
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 13 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Ambatondrazaka 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 2 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ambatondrazaka
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For turmeric in Ambatondrazaka, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 45%. 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 2026/27 season in Ambatondrazaka
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,148 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — January and February 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. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.1 °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 full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 66% of this area. |
| 66% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 185 growing days · about 1,230 mm · October to May |
|---|---|
| 24% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 316 growing days · about 1,380 mm · October to August |
| 7% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 293 growing days · about 1,340 mm · October to August |
| 3% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 325 growing days · about 1,440 mm · October to September |
last updated 17 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 45% 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 Ambatondrazaka
| Nitrogen (N) | About 25 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 6 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 43 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 Ambatondrazaka 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.
Turmeric in nearby districts
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 Ambatondrazaka?
Ambatondrazaka rates as moderate for turmeric.
When should I plant turmeric in Ambatondrazaka?
Typically 13 Oct 2026 to 2 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ambatondrazaka, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
