Divisi
When to plant Turmeric in Dar-es-salaam
United Republic of Tanzania
Known here as manjano · binzari manjano
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 | 30 Oct 2026 – 29 Nov 2026 opens in 4 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 19.5–21.9 t/ha | about 27.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 28 May 2027 to 25 Sep 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 | 92% | |
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 29 Nov 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Dar-es-salaam is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 29 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Dar-es-salaam
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For turmeric in Dar-es-salaam, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2026/27 season in Dar-es-salaam
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to June 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,070 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 957 mm in the driest of 3 districts to about 1,082 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,070 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| 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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 54% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 265 growing days · about 1,040 mm · October to June |
|---|---|
| 31% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 271 growing days · about 1,020 mm · October to July |
| 15% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 250 growing days · about 1,050 mm · October to July |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 3 areas within it
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 Dar-es-salaam
| Nitrogen (N) | About 74 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 17 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 127 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 Dar-es-salaam 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 Dar-es-salaam?
Dar-es-salaam rates as favourable for turmeric.
When should I plant turmeric in Dar-es-salaam?
Typically 30 Oct 2026 to 29 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Dar-es-salaam, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
