The market for Spanish garlic has changed drastically over the last two years. "The supply is a lot lower and the garlic is quite expensive this year. But now it seems as though the growers want to make back everything they lost over the last five years. Everyone is sitting on their garlic, expecting further increases in price. The Chinese garlic is also increasing in price," says Alexis Mul of Ibergarlic from Montilla (Cordoba).
"There will also be low supply from Argentina so there is enough space for Spanish garlic on the market," expects Alexis. The main buyers of Spanish garlic are supermarkets in the United Kingdom and Scandinavian importers, but also a lot of other customers of North European markets prefer the Spanish product nowadays. "There are also German customers coming back who prefer the large 5 kg garlic from Spain over the cheap Chinese."
"Chinese garlic looks good, but it can't match up to the taste of the Spanish. The Spanish garlic is better quality, can be stored for longer and the red Morado garlic in particular has a much stronger flavour," says Alexis. The Spanish harvest starts at the beginning of May with garlic from Chinese seeds, followed by the Spanish white garlic and the Morado garlic in the second half of June, after which the product can be stored all year round."
The higher prices being made for garlic at the moment were needed, according to Alexis. "Large producers especially have lost a lot of money over the last few years. It would be good if there was a solid ground in the market for a normal market balance. The price of Chinese garlic has been kept artificially low. Now the kilo price is up to 60 cents higher compared to six months ago. It gives you confidence!"
