Garlic value chain

Producers source certified virus free garlic seed cloves selected for bulb size, clove count and regional adaptability. Planting material quality determines up to sixty percent of final bulb yield as garlic is vegetatively propagated with no hybrid vigour.

Garlic requires cold vernalisation to initiate bulbing and is planted in autumn for late spring harvest. Careful irrigation cutoff timing and nitrogen management drive bulb sizing while rust and white rot prevention are critical soil health priorities.

Bulbs are mechanically undercut and lifted when fifty percent of leaves have senesced. Premature harvest produces immature wrapper skins while late harvest causes clove splitting that ruins storage potential and market appearance.

Lifted bulbs are cured in well ventilated shade for two to three weeks until neck tissue is completely dry. Proper curing enables storage at zero degrees celsius for up to eight months, allowing producers to supply markets year round from a single harvest.

Garlic is peeled, minced, crushed, dehydrated into granules and powder or processed into black garlic through controlled fermentation. Processed garlic products command significant premiums and serve industrial food manufacturing, restaurant and retail seasoning markets.

Fresh and processed garlic is distributed through retail, wholesale and food service channels. South African garlic competes with significant Chinese imports making local provenance branding and quality differentiation essential competitive strategies.