If there is one agro-food product that is surprising everyone because of its strong growth in the international markets, it is garlic; a bulb which, in the Spanish region of Andalusia, is mostly grown in Cordoba, which is also one of Spain's most important producers. In just nine months, Cordoba-based companies have exported more garlic than in the whole of last year, taking also advantage of the rising prices. Thus, up until September, the revenue has reached 46.5 million Euro, surpassing the 29.5 million obtained in the entire previous year and achieving the highest figure on record.
This strong increase is a consequence of the terrible harvest that has been recorded in China; the world's largest producer, which accounts for 70% of the garlic grown globally. That has made it possible for the good prices to consolidate and allowed Cordoba-based producers to record magnificent campaigns after years of great uncertainty.
A total of 1,977 hectares of garlic were sown in the province last year; an increase of 12% compared to the previous year, although below the average for the period between 2011 and 2014 (2,046). In any case, the sector has always highlighted that the acreage is actually greater, because grower from Cordoba also have crops in other Andalusian provinces, such as Seville. Seville, in fact, is the second most important producer in the region, with 837 hectares, followed by Granada (710) and Malaga (600).
