Afghan garlic helps control price spike in local Pune market
The garlic season starts in January. Last year, the cultivation was less causing shortage of stock and rise in demand, says official
Retail price of garlic have gone up to ₹350- ₹400 per kilogram following shortage of the vegetable across India. To help stabilise the escalating rates, garlic is imported from Afghanistan to markets, including city’s Market Yard.
“The garlic season starts in January. Last year, the cultivation was less causing shortage of stock and rise in demand. With two months left for the next season, stock is limited. The arrival of garlic from Afghanistan in the market since the last few days has kept the rate under check as it is sold at lesser price than the Indian variety. However, it’s taste is different from Indian vegetable and so mostly it is sold in bulk to hotel industry,” said Sameer Raikar, garlic trader.
Garlic is mostly cultivated in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab.
Manisha Jadhav, a vegetable buyer, said, “The rise in price has forced us to buy garlic, a must item in our daily food consumption, in less quantity now.”