Garlic prices have risen by as much as 55 percent since June in retail markets, due to a sharp increase in demand and a reduced supply ahead of the winter season.
Data compiled by the government-owned National Horticulture Board (NHB) showed that prices shot up at the highest rate of 55 percent in Delhi, to trade at Rs 170 a kg on Thursday, from Rs 110 a kg early June this year. Prices had remained subdued for about a year, and were trading at Rs 40-60 a kg in retail and Rs 20-30 a kg in major wholesale mandis. In retail, was selling at Rs 200 a kg in Mumbai on Saturday, up 100 percent from its price about a month ago.
The demand for the crop has suddenly risen from the south Indian over the past few weeks, in addition to other existing such as Maharashtra and Gujarat. Apart from that, traders in Madhya Pradesh, the largest producing area of this vegetable additive, have also seen a sharp increase in demand from overseas markets, including China, for inventory building for its consumption for medicinal and other daily purposes.
“There has been a sharp increase in garlic demand from the south Indian including Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Continuous decline in its supply has helped sellers to raise garlic prices in major wholesale mandis,” said J.N. Ojha, Secretary, Dalauda mandi in Madhya Pradesh.
NHB data showed that garlic arrival in Mumbai mandi has declined to 64 tonnes now from 112 tonnes in June. Similarly, garlic supply in Bangaluru mandi has slumped to 87 tonnes now as against 112 tonnes in June.
The Ministry of Agriculture in its 2nd Advanced Estimate has estimated a sharp decline in India’s garlic output at 1.5 million tonnes for 2018-19, as compared to 1.86 million tonnes in the previous year.
[ Rs100 = €1.30 ]
