Global Garlic Trade Offers Opportunities Beyond The Bulb

Weather risks, freight costs and demand for convenient product formats are shaping the international garlic trade, with opportunities for suppliers able to combine reliable sourcing with effective storage and processing.

An overview published by Business Matters highlights the importance of harvest conditions, cold-storage stocks and shipping costs in influencing prices, alongside opportunities to supply peeled cloves, dehydrated flakes, granules and powders.

The scale of the business is substantial. Trade data published through the World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution shows China exported approximately 2.35 million tonnes of fresh or chilled garlic in 2024, worth around US$3.15 billion. These figures cover fresh and chilled garlic rather than the full range of processed products.

For European buyers, maintaining availability involves sourcing across different growing seasons. Research from the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) describes how importers and packers combine supplies from Spain, China, Egypt and South America to support year-round programmes.

Protecting quality after harvest is equally important. University of California, Davis guidance recommends temperatures of −1°C to 0°C, relative humidity of 60–70% and good airflow for long-term garlic storage. Under these conditions, garlic can be stored for more than nine months, although variety affects its storage potential.

The university also identifies proper curing as essential to maximising storage life, while high humidity encourages mould and rooting.

Beyond whole bulbs, convenience products offer another route to market. CBI identifies growing foodservice demand for ready-to-use peeled cloves, with buyers also seeking consistent sizing and formats such as diced garlic and vacuum-packed products. These requirements create opportunities for processors and specialist suppliers serving commercial kitchens.

Business Matters also points to the potential for closer sourcing relationships and packaging tailored to individual markets. However, its overview underlines the trade’s exposure to variable harvests and transport costs: unexpected rain or early freezes can affect output, while freight rates add another variable to procurement decisions.