The market preferred imported garlic compared to a more expensive locally produced one, said the Department of Agriculture (DA) based on the latest monitoring.
Imported garlic is sold at P80 per kilo while locally produced garlic is sold at P300 per kilo.
“With the rising demand for garlic in the household and various industries, consumers continue to prefer to buy the imported variety over the local produce,” said the Department of Agriculture.
This wide difference in its price forces the consumer to patronize imported garlic even if the locally produced one has a stronger aroma and flavor.
Further, Ilocos Norte and Sur is the top producer of garlic in the country last 2022 and the latest harvest in early November last year was the source of the sold garlic in the market this month.
In February, Ilocos projected a volume of 21 metric tons harvest, and a total of 3,947 metric tons will supply the consumers by April.
