Following a challenging 2024-2025 season for supplying garlic due to weather issues that impacted most garlic-growing regions, the 2025-2026 season is starting on a much more positive note. "There are very good/big-sized bulbs and quality from Egypt and China as they had big yields and a bumper crop," says Jim Provost, one of the founders of I Love Produce. "North America's weather has been cooler, so size and yields are down, but quality has been good so far from Mexico. Things are in full swing now in Mexico. California is to be determined but will be behind."
L-R: Fernando Di Lello, Fabian Fusari, Jim Provost, and Neil Millman of I Love Produce.
Demand for garlic remains in balance with the supply. "Supply from China is currently down due to tariffs but U.S. demand is also slow due to economic issues," says Provost.
Mexico as a garlic supplier
That said, demand is particularly strong for product from Mexico, a country that historically is the main supplier of fresh garlic to the United States in May and June. "However, because of the strong garlic demand, partly due to the tariffs on Chinese garlic, Egypt is also shipping a good deal of garlic to North America right now," says Provost, adding that the unpredictable nature of the tariffs is a challenge for grower-shippers.
A garlic market in Xinjiang China.
All of this is leaving prices stable. While the price ceiling was set by the tariffs on Chinese garlic, now that the U.S. and China are in the midst of a 90-day cooling-off period on tariffs and negotiating a trade deal, fresh Chinese garlic has begun to ship again. "People always eat garlic. However, demand is adversely impacted by high prices. So when new crop Chinese garlic re-enters the market, it will help pick up demand," he says, noting that China has a large crop with more than 20 percent yield than last year, and at least 60 percent of the garlic is size 5.5 and up. "Consumption will increase worldwide as a result of the impact of this crop on the world market."
For more information:
Jim Provost
I Love Produce, LLC
Tel: (+1) 610-869-4664
[email protected]
www.iLoveProduce.com