Garlic in Spain is an essential element in our traditional cuisine, being the basis of many culinary specialties, which has a large following. Garlic is marketed as follows:

By consuming dry or semi-dry bulbs.

  • I eat dried garlic.
  • In the pharmaceutical industry.
  • In its green variety also called garlic.

Garlic in Spain in 2019

Garlic cultivation areas in Spain have been reduced between 8 and 10% compared to previous campaigns. Data offered by the Hispanic-Franco-Italian-Portuguese Committee. This Committee tries to analyze the situation of markets and prices in the different EU countries and the status of the world garlic market.

The data indicate that production in Spain has increased in the last 15 years, with an optimum production of more than 26 thousand hectares of cultivation and 250 thousand tons of the white bulb. In relation to the rest of the countries, France and Italy keep their cultivated areas constant.

Spain maintains its reality as the main producer

Exports have increased year after year, although the cultivation area of ​​fresh garlic in Spain has decreased. Therefore, Spain continues to maintain its status as the main garlic producer in the European Union.

What crop data exists for the 2017 and 2018 campaigns?

Spain remains the first European garlic producer with record numbers of more than 26,000 hectares of cultivation in 2018. For the years 2017 and 2018, the three main producers in the EU maintain their cultivation areas with respect to the campaigns of previous years.

The price of garlic in Spain

Spain continues to maintain a lower price compared to Italy and France. In addition, these countries have no choice but to buy part of the production from third parties, preferably Spain. The Iberian Peninsula has a garlic of exceptional quality and produces more than what is consumed being able to export most of the production.

Globally, China has raised the price of garlic and is the world’s leading producer of the bulb today. The Asian giant has 85% of world garlic production and marks the global trend of its price.

What basic groups of garlic varieties exist?

We can specify the following basic groups:

White garlic: they are rougher, they are well preserved and have high productivity. They are excellent for eating dry.

The pink garlic: the outer part that surrounds the garlic is reddish. Their conservation is less than white and they are earlier.

Black garlic is a food widely used as a condiment in Asian cuisine, whose use has spread throughout North America and Europe.

The predominant variety in all countries is white, rustic garlic, with excellent flavor and good productivity.

How is garlic marketed and preserved?

The bulbs go through a sanitation and cleaning process to classify them according to the caliber. The packaging is usually in wooden boxes, cardboard or small mesh bags. Once packed, they are labeled according to current regulations.

Garlics are usually kept refrigerated to contain the growth of shoots. Moisture plays a negative role in its conservation, requiring a temperature of -3ºC in a refrigerated place.