Garlic pricing in New Zealand reflects various factors, including production challenges and market preferences. At Woolworths, a single bulb of local garlic is priced at $4, while imported Chinese garlic is available at $3.99 per bag, containing approximately a dozen bulbs.
John Murphy, chief executive of Murphy's Garlic and chairman of Vegetables NZ, discussed these challenges with Checkpoint. He noted, "We do have some special challenges in New Zealand, particularly compared to some of those other markets overseas. Our land and our water are significantly different in terms of what we pay."
Murphy acknowledged the demand for imported garlic, stating, "People seem to want more of what we've got, and we're pretty confident that ours is a little bit different." He emphasized the flavor profile of New Zealand garlic, noting, "The tests we've done showed that it's got three times the flavor intensity."
Current garlic prices are consistent with the previous year. Murphy mentioned, "Our own crop is just coming onto the market now, and so we're starting to get that at the stores now." He explained that pricing per bulb is a newer practice, helping consumers understand the cost structure. "Paying $4 for a bulb reflects the cost that goes into it," he said. He predicted potential price adjustments over the season, noting, "I think that over the course of the season, you will see that possibly come back a little as well."
Murphy compared local and imported garlic, highlighting the increased garlic consumption due to availability. "If you go back a generation not many people ate garlic and so I think to have, particularly Chinese garlic being available to people, has increased the number of people eating garlic," he said.
Retailers play a role in differentiating between New Zealand and imported garlic. Murphy pointed out, "If you look at ours, it will generally have the roots still on it. The roots would have been trimmed. Garlic from overseas ... has the root completely removed and scooped out."
Source: RNZ