Chinese garlic smuggling: Garlic from China has alerted Indian customs officials. Authorities have increased surveillance at customs posts after a large quantity of Chinese garlic was recently caught being smuggled into India. An Economic Times report quoted people associated with the matter as saying that customs officials have deployed sniffer dogs and alerted their local intelligence at wholesalers and warehouses. All this exercise is being done to stop smuggling of Chinese garlic from the border of Nepal and Bangladesh.
Chinese garlic coming via Nepal
The report quoted a customs official as saying that cases of smuggling of Chinese garlic have increased especially in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and North-Eastern states. In this, garlic is brought via Nepal. India had banned the import of Chinese garlic in 2014. The ban was imposed after reports of garlic containing mold. The smuggled garlic is also suspected to contain high amounts of pesticides.
64,000 kg Chinese garlic was caught
Last month, customs officials had intercepted a shipment of 64,000 kg of Chinese garlic worth Rs 1.35 crore at Sikta land customs post. Smuggling has increased due to increase in garlic prices in the domestic market and sharp rise in exports.
Prices have doubled
Industry insiders estimate that the stock of Chinese garlic in the country is 1,000 to 1,200 tonnes. Since November last year, prices have almost doubled to ₹450-500 a kg. The main reasons behind the surge in prices in the last few months are crop loss and delay in sowing. Local traders have raised this issue with the government after the arrival of Chinese variety of garlic in the market.
China and India are top producers
China and India are among the top global garlic producers. But the demand for Indian garlic has increased especially after Covid-19, especially in America, West Asia, Brazil and Asian countries. India’s garlic export in the year 2022-23 was 57,346 tonnes, worth ₹246 crore.
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