Indore: Rising prices of garlic in the spot market and heat conditions affecting quality of the produce, have raised concerns over its export.
March to September is main season for exports of Indian garlic, but, firm spot prices may play a spoilsport for exporters.
An exporter from Mandsaur Sourabh Badjatya said, “Garlic prices in the spot market are firm for a fortnight because of a dip in output. Higher prices of Indian garlic may hit export enquiries.”
According to garlic exporters, most of the varieties of garlic in the spot market are ruling between $300 per tonne to $900 per tonne, wherein premium quality rose from $700 per tonne to $900 per tonne in a fortnight.
Garlic prices are already ruling higher than a year ago with smallest size garlic trading at $300 per tonne as against $110 per tonne a year ago in the same period, an exporter said.
Malwa-Nimar region is a leading supplier of raw garlic and dehydrated products made out of garlic to other states and overseas destinations. Another garlic exporter from Mandsaur Vikas Jain said, “Garlic is mostly stored in open and moisture content evaporates completely in garlic due to high temperature. Quality matters the most in exports and any deterioration in quality will hit exports from here.”
Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Far East are the major markets for Indian garlic, but, they have slowed down purchases from India owing to competition from China that has dropped prices to the levels of Indian garlic in the international market.
At present, Chinese garlic is also offered in the range of $900 - $1,300 per tonne at the global platform.
China, the leading producer of garlic in the world, gives tough competition to India as bigger size and less pungent produce of China is preferred in the United States and Europe.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com