Garlic prices have risen sharply in recent years due to limited supply, leading to a rise in garlic production around the world.
At this time of year, the vast majority of domestic supply in the U.S. market comes from California.
The rest of the market is supplied with imported garlic, mainly from China, and a growing number of garlic comes from Spain.
Jim prostov, of I Love Produce, concludes: "as the area of major production increases, garlic production around the world continues to grow.
The major regions of the northern hemisphere, including California, Spain and China, have increased the acreage of garlic.
In the past two years, farmers and producers have been encouraged by the garlic market, planting more garlic.
Although production has increased around the world, growers have faced other challenges in converting acreage into single-volume production and then into marketable products.
Provost explained: "the climate challenge - on yield of rainy and hot spring harvest to a certain extent, the adverse effects on the California garlic, actual effect depends on the location of the field.
Spain also has occasional rainfall problems during the harvest.
Another major challenge facing the world is the shortage of labor to harvest and package garlic.
American customers are not fussy about garlic, as long as it is large and white.
"The us market prefers large white garlic," says Mr Provost.
The garlic variety is not as important as the specification (generally 5.5 cm and above) and white skin.
"In the United States, there is a small demand for purple garlic, mainly from the market for Asian and Latin American products," he said.
imported garlic has a place in the U.S. market, and despite laws to protect farmers, farmers are feeling the pinch.
When asked about the garlic farmers view of import garlic, Provost explained: "the United States for Chinese garlic anti-dumping act, this help to stabilize the domestic industry, but the growers are still expressed concern.
In recent years, Spanish garlic has also occupied a large U.S. market, which is a competitor to the domestic industry and can supplement its supply.
(source: global fruit and vegetable network) [source: California's low single yield and China's supply problems have strained the garlic market]
