Garlic price soars to ₹500 from ₹200 in a fortnight, singes Kol kitchens
Times of India | 5 February 2024
Kolkata: Price of garlic has soared through the roof in Kolkata with most retail markets selling it at a staggering Rs 500 per kg, more than double the previous range of Rs 200-220 even a fortnight ago.
According to Kamal De, president of the WB Vendors’ Association, low production has triggered the price-hike this year. Most of the supply in markets here comes from outside Bengal, with Nashik being the primary source.However, this supply is also dwindling due to the untimely rainfall. The supply from Assam, which used to be substantial, is also facing challenges.
Garlic cultivation takes place in both summer (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons. Traders said poor rainfall had damaged summer crop sown around July in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and in some areas of north Bengal. Maharashtra alone contributes nearly 40% of total garlic production in India.
While the old stock is still available, the wait for the new harvest is estimated to be around two months. Asit Pradhan, a grocery owner, is currently retailing garlic at Rs 500, which even a fortnight ago was selling at Rs 200-220 per kg. The wholesale rate is now Rs 400. Wholesale buyers need a minimum purchase of 1 kg.
Northern districts of Bengal are experiencing minimal production, resulting in heavy dependence on states like Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. This situation is impacting both the hotel business and homemakers.
“We are struggling since garlic is a major ingredient in most of our dishes. However , we, at restaurants and hotels, have to remain loyal to our clients and cannot enhance the prices with market fluctuations of raw materials. So, we are burning our margins to produce ‘lasooni kebab’ and other items. If the prices do not scale down, we will be compelled to revise rates,” said Sudesh Poddar, owner of the Manthan and Songhai restaurants.
“We have tried to supplement garlic with a combination of onion and garlic,” said Anil Dhingra, who manages a restaurant in Salt Lake. Over the years, garlic output has seen a decline. Official said production in 2022-23 stood at 2.2 million tonnes, a drop from 3.5 million tonnes in the previous year.