Garlic is a fundamental food product for Colombians. As a result of high demand, the market for this product has grown, improving its production and increasing imports.
Today, the country has nearly 364 hectares of garlic crops, almost the same amount as a decade ago. The area hasn't grown much as a result of the massive import of this product, mainly from Asian countries.
In 2017, imports of this product amounted to US $2.2 million, US $1.8 million of which corresponded to imports of Chinese garlic (according to data from the National Administrative Department of Statistics), which is why local producers have had to make several adjustments, such as improving their production and innovation in order to compete and maintain their production.
This was the solution adopted by the Ajos de la Sabana company, which produces and sells in the wholesale market of Corabastos. Luis Arias, the manager of cultivation of the company, stated "the country allowed too many imports of Chinese garlic, we have fought a lot because for there aren't many subsidies for the garlic."
One of the ways to compete against these imports and maintain sales has been to start packing the product and giving it an added value, as well as selling it peeled and selected. Currently, according to some traders, the national garlic accounts for nearly 60% of the total, as the other 40% is of Asian origin. "It is very difficult to compete with the Chinese garlic, but we have managed to do it," said Arias.
Another way to maintain this product's stability has been to optimize costs in the crops, given the reduction in production. Even though the largest production, i.e. 5,195 tons, occurred in 2014, there has been a 40% reduction in production, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Producers need to learn how to optimize their resources, such as fumigation and the use of irrigation.
The production of one ton can cost twice as much as the importation of a Chinese ton but, according to Arias, "the national garlic is of much better quality. The Chinese product undergoes different processes, and they say they are sterilized with minimal doses of radiation, but nobody knows if this is true."
The truth is that, due to imports, producers have had to face a drop in production and an average reduction in productivity per hectare, which in 2014 stood at 18.2 tons per hectare and in 2017 stood at 14.1 tons per hectare.
Despite this moment of adjustment in the garlic production sector, the merchants, such as the marketer Mario Barajas, maintain that "consumption continues to lean towards the national product because of its flavor, consistency, and to support local production."
Some entities, such as Agrosavia, are responsible for the product's research and development, as there is a deficit of seeds, as a result of illegal imports from other countries, such as Peru, which leads to a deterioration of the product by replanting.
Andrea Villareal, a researcher from Agrosavia, said "there is not enough garlic seed available. We depend on the imported seeds and some producers who restock to produce more seed." This is why they are working on the characterization of cultivation materials.
Source: agronegocios.co