Garlic prices in India have surged recently, reaching up to Rs 400 per kg in certain areas due to a decline in supply. Reports indicate that the popular spice is now sold at retail markets for Rs 300 to Rs 400 per kg.
The price hike is attributed to crop damage caused by unseasonal rainfall in October and November, particularly affecting garlic crops in various regions.
Over the past six weeks, prices have doubled, with current retail prices ranging from Rs 180 to Rs 300 per kg, compared to the wholesale market where they hover around Rs 130 to Rs 140 per kg.
High-quality garlic at wholesale rates remains between Rs 220 and Rs 250 per kg. The adverse weather conditions, including drought and unseasonal rainfall, have left farmers grappling with challenges.
Typically, garlic prices tend to rise during winter as supplies diminish. The ongoing onion crisis in India further complicates the situation. APMC traders, quoting media reports, suggest that the garlic price situation is unlikely to improve shortly.
Poor crop yields in Maharashtra, coupled with dwindling supplies from southern states, have impacted APMC wholesale yards in the western state, where garlic is now being sold for Rs 150 to Rs 250 per kg, leading to retail prices soaring to Rs 300-400 per kg.
Ashok Valunj, the Mumbai APMC director, highlighted the constrained local supply due to saturated stock and insufficient production caused by inadequate monsoon rainfall and unseasonal rain. As a result, the region is dependent on costly supplies from Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.
Adverse weather conditions have disrupted garlic supplies in various ways over the past few months. In the Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh, for example, farmers suffered significant losses in September due to sudden rainfall.
Farmers at the Krishi Upaj Mandi were unable to protect their garlic from water damage during heavy rain showers. The challenges in garlic production have contributed to the current price surge, and the situation is expected to persist until the arrival of the new crop in the market.
