VietNamNet Bridge – Hundreds of tonnes of garlic in Khanh Hoa Province is in danger of rotting, as a lack of demand has forced farmers to put their crops in storage.

Garlic farmers Khanh Hoa Province are excited to have a bumper crop, but they are struggling to sell their garlic. – VNA/VNS Photo

Garlic farmers in the central coastal province have warned they may have to throw large portions of their crops, vietnamplus.vn online newspaper reported. 

Khanh Hoa Province has about 600ha of garlic farms, which much of the crop garlic from Quang Ngai Province’s Ly Son Island, which is famous for its garlic nationwide.

This year, garlic farmers in Van Hung Commune, Van Ninh District were excited for their bumper crop, with an average yield of 10 tonnes per hectare, an increase of 4-5 tonnes from last year.

Farmer Truong Minh Hoang said at the beginning of harvest season two months ago, a kilo of fresh garlic went for VND25,000/kg, but many farmers decided not to sell because they thought the price would be higher at the end of the harvest season.

Hoang, with 10 years of experience in garlic growing, said this year’s garlic price was unstable, adding the harvest season is coming to an end but there was a large amount of garlic still in storage.

“This is the lowest garlic price season. In previous years, my family earned about VND200 million per ha,” he said. “This year’s profit is zero”.

This year’s garlic crop has mainly been consumed domestically. Additionally, the price of Chinese and Thailand garlic was sold in Vietnam at a cheaper price, about VND15,000/kg, according to Hoang.

Ninh Van Commune in Ninh Hoa Town has 54ha of garlic with a total productivity of 450 tonnes. Now, 80 tonnes of dried garlic are still in storage. 

Do Huu Minh, vice chairman of Farmers’ Association of Ninh Phuoc Commune said 30 tonnes of dried garlic are in storage. He said farmers don’t sell fresh garlic early because they believed the price would be higher at the end of the harvest or after harvest.

Ahead method

Tran Thanh Tong, vice chairman of the Van Hung Commune People’s Committee said local authorities are seeking purchasing partners and markets to deal with the garlic in stock.

A volunteer group is working with Khanh Hoa Province’s Agricultural Company and Van Hung Garlic Production Cooperative to organise garlic-sale mobile points province-wide and then nationwide. 

Nha Trang Coopmart supermarket has also agreed to purchase Khanh Hoa garlic.

Source: VNS