Chinese garlic glut in market worry Karnataka farmers

Mangaluru/Udupi (Karnataka): The Chinese-grown garlic has flooded the tier-two cities and smaller towns and cities in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts, worrying farmers in the region.

On Tuesday, the traders and growers had expressed dismay over the Chinese garlic flooding the markets in Shivamogga.

Following the complaints by the traders, Udupi Municipal Commissioner, B Rayappa has raided a wholesaler and confiscated five quintals of Chinese garlic from the Agricultural Produce & Livestock Market Committee (APMC) yard in Adi Udupi.

He assured the traders that only after ensuring the legitimacy of the Chinese garlic he would release the produce in the market.

Traders said while Indian varieties of garlic are priced at Rs 250 per kg, the Chinese garlic is sold at Rs 50-60 per kg. They added that the customers prefer Chinese garlic as it is bigger and easy to peel and crush.

According to APMC officials in Mangaluru, the Chinese garlic has arrived in the market under a trade licence held by the wholesalers.

They also said retail traders do not need a special trading license to trade in Chinese garlic.

A bulk trader in the old port area, Mohammad Ishaq told PTI that Chinese garlic makes its appearance in the Indian market every now and then.

However, according to him, it balances the price level in the market.

Due to the influx of Chinese garlic, the prices of Indian garlic, which is trading at Rs 200-225 per kg, will level off at Rs 175 to 150 per kg, Ishaq added.