Traders Halt Auction in Gujarat to Protest Influx of Banned Chinese Garlic

Traders at the Agriculture Produce Market Cooperative (APMC) in Gondal, Rajkot district, halted auctions to protest against the illegal supply of banned Chinese garlic. The protest highlights concerns over the size, smell, and lower cost of Chinese garlic, which could impact local farmers' livelihoods and the market's integrity.

Traders at the Agriculture Produce Market Cooperative (APMC) in Gondal, Gujarat's Rajkot district, halted auctions on Tuesday in protest against the illegal supply of banned Chinese garlic in the market.

The traders staged a day-long protest after discovering several bags of Chinese garlic at the APMC, with leaders decrying the illicit methods used to bring the product into India.

'We are protesting against the illegal manner in which Chinese garlic is finding its way into India, despite a ban,' said Yogesh Kayada, president of the traders' association at Gondol APMC. The protest saw around 500 garlic traders halting the auction, while farmers joined in by raising slogans and displaying placards demanding an effective ban on the produce.

Traders point out that Chinese garlic is recognisable by its size and smell and is cheaper than local varieties, making it attractive to smugglers and agents but detrimental to local cultivators. Manish Savaliya, a trader, expressed concerns over the large quantities of Chinese garlic entering India illegally, which he believes will harm domestic farmers.

China, the world's largest garlic producer, has faced an Indian ban on its garlic since 2014 due to concerns over fungal infections and high pesticide levels in the crops.

(With inputs from agencies.)