Global garlic market is facing a surplus of Chinese products

The new 2026 season started with significant production growth in key exporting countries, driven by expanded acreage and favorable weather. However, a massive influx of cheap garlic from China, significant carryover stocks from the previous harvest, and changes in trade policies in some regions have driven down prices and made it difficult for European and American farmers to sell.

This was reported by FreshPlaza.

In Spain, garlic acreage increased by 4-5% in 2026, and sunny weather ensured the best quality and large size of heads in the last 3 seasons. Despite this, local producers cannot compete on price with Chinese and Egyptian imports, which are sold in the European Union below the cost of Spanish production. A similar crisis is being experienced in Italy, where the market is flooded with cheap imported products, causing local garlic consumption to lag behind the norm by 2-3 months, and farmers are forced to reduce the area under the crop due to diseases and labor shortages. French and Dutch producers have started harvesting 1-2 weeks earlier, but also note low prices.

“It is impossible to compare prices and compete with this. In March, we still had the previous season’s products in our warehouses, which is not normal for this time of year. We continue to harvest and will rely on the quality and safety of food products guaranteed by European production,” commented a representative of the Spanish garlic growing sector.

On the American continent, the market is also undergoing changes: in Peru, due to abnormal heat, the harvest may fall from 100 thousand tons to 60–70 thousand tons, and in Chile, due to a 50–80% drop in prices, farmers plan to reduce the area under garlic by 20–30% for the next season. The main reason for the destabilization of South American markets was the easing of anti-dumping duties by Brazil against China at the end of 2024, which blocked traditional sales channels for Argentine and Chilean garlic. China itself began its peak harvest of high-quality garlic in May 2026, but due to high competition in traditional markets, it is reorienting its exports to African countries, where demand is growing.

Tags: prices, garlic