Garlic Continued from Page 11
John Duffus, vice president of sales for The Garlic Company in Bakersfield, said demand for domestic garlic has been boosted since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. “The retail market went up with people cooking at home,” Duffus said, noting that increased takeout food orders also in- creased demand for garlic. Food service makes up a sizable portion of buyers for The Garlic Company and oth- er garlic processors. Duffus said the sec- tor’s demand for domestic supplies has continued to increase. The Garlic Company is “in the mid- dle of our fresh harvest,” with mechan- ical harvesting just starting in mid-July, Duffus said. All fresh garlic is harvested by hand. Mechanical harvesting takes over for The Garlic Company’s peeled garlic products, which is used by companies that market dehydrated garlic. Californa growers say competition with China is most acute with garlic that re- quires hand harvesting because China’s lower labor costs undercut the costs to raise the crop in California, where labor expenses continue to rise. In addition, fer- tilizer and fuel costs add to the price. The Garlic Store markets peeled garlic products as part of the company’s goal of
Garlic is grown in a field at Borba Farms in Fresno County. The farm produces garlic for Christopher Ranch in Gilroy. Farmer Mark Borba says he and other state growers have reduced plantings of the crop in recent years in part due to lack of water.
curbing the product waste of fresh garlic, some of which is discarded due to appear- ance problems such as smaller sizing or misshapen bulbs. Decades ago, The Garlic Company de- veloped a way to crack and peel garlic and bottle it without additives. The food service industry embraced the product, Duffus said, as the laborious work of peeling the cloves was already done. The Garlic Company partners with 50 different growers mostly in the south end of the Central Valley. Duffus said yields are better than
expected this year, with enough product to meet demand. He noted freshly harvested garlic and peeled garlic products can be kept in cold storage for months, and this year’s harvest should be perfect to meet the demands of the company’s buyers for the year. Starter plants for next year’s product, including an additional 5% over this year, are currently growing in Oregon and will be harvested starting next month into September, Duffus said. They will be transplanted to California fields starting in October through Thanksgiving.
“The market remains strong,” Duffus said. He said import delays in recent years may have helped boost demand for California garlic. Amid port congestion caused by the pandemic and supply chain disruptions, a lot of imported garlic sat off- shore in containers, potentially affecting its quality, he said. “We’re here and we’re accountable,” he said, encouraging people to “buy local.” (Nancy Vigran is a reporter based in Placer County. She may be contacted via news@cfbf.com.)
Open now through September 30 JOIN THIS YEAR’S PHOTO CONTEST!
Prizes: 1st place $1,000
Enter up to fi ve high-resolution digital photos online at cfbf.com/photocontest Submit photos of fresh food, rural scenery, animals, crops, harvests, life, work, family or any inspiring photo captured on the farm or ranch.
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(ages 13 & younger) 1st place $250 2nd place $100
The contest is open to amateur photographers who are Farm Bureau members. Participants who are not Farm Bureau members can visit cfbf.com/join to learn about becoming a member. Go to cfbf.com/photocontest for contest rules.
2022 1st place winner Maddison Easley, Nevada County
12 Ag Alert July 26, 2023
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