MARGAO: The rates of garlic have skyrocketed in Goa with prices ranging from Rs 400 to 600 per kg, hitting the restaurants in general and Chinese cuisine and fast food vendors in particular due to the acute shortage.
Decline in the harvest of garlic has led to increase in its price in the Margaomarket. In the wholesale market, 1-kg of garlic is being sold at Rs 350 to Rs 400 depending upon its quality. In Mapusa rates ranged from Rs 500 to 600 per kg.
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The wholesale spice dealers trading in Margao market spoke to O Heraldo about the sudden spurt in prices. Some wholesale traders stated that garlic is being sold at an exorbitant rate at Rs 600 per kg in Panjim municipal market. Traders stated that around 50 to 60 bags of garlic was being sold in wholesale market when the rate was between Rs 100 and Rs 150 rupees per kg.
Hazrat Ali, owner of R K Traders and wholesale dealer of garlic at Gandhi Market, Margao, said that garlic is mostly harvested in Madhya Pradesh and due to decrease in harvest this year, the prices have shot up in the State.
Garlic usually is sold at Rs 100 to Rs 150 per kg but now it has increased to Rs 350 to Rs 400 per kg. Usually we would get around 60 bags of garlic which has dwindled down to merely 15 bags since the rate has gone up. Buyers who were buying 1-kg now take a quarter.
“I sell garlic at wholesale rates in Quepem, Curchorem as well as Margao markets. Hopefully the harvest will be back to normal and prices would drop,” hoped Ali.
However, the hoteliers and small fast food joint operators hinted that the rates of food items will increase since garlic is prominently used in both, vegetable as well as non-vegetable cuisine.
