Garlic Consumption by Country 2024

Garlic, a fragrant herb cherished worldwide, is not only a culinary staple but also a plant with a rich history and significant cultural importance. One of the hardier root vegetables, garlic is easy to cultivate in gardens of any size, requiring minimal skill. It's renowned for its flavor-enhancing properties, featuring prominently in diverse cuisines ranging from Italian spaghetti to Korean beef. Beyond its culinary uses, garlic is reputed for its health benefits and, according to folklore, the unique ability to ward off vampires.

The history of garlic spans at least 5,000 years, with its use documented in ancient Babylon, Egypt, and China. Today, China is the global leader in garlic consumption per capita, as well as in garlic cultivation and exportation. It dominates about 75 percent of the market as of 2018. Remarkably, some individuals in China are known to consume up to 12 cloves at a time, with the average consumption reported as 14.3 kg per person per year—significantly higher than the approximately 3 pounds per person in the U.S.

Following China, countries like India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Korea, Russia, and Brazil also feature high per capita garlic consumption. As of 2018, India accounted for about 5 percent, with Indonesia and Bangladesh at 2 percent, and Russia, Brazil, and South Korea each at 1 percent. South Korea's per person consumption is notable at 6.2 kg, followed by Bangladesh at 2.6 kg, Russia at 2.2 kg, Indonesia at 1.8 kg, Brazil at 1.5 kg, and India at 1.1 kg. Between 2007 and 2016, Bangladesh and India experienced significant increases in consumption, at 7.4 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively. Together, these countries represented approximately 87 percent of the total global garlic consumption as of 2016.

Globally, about 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares) are dedicated to garlic cultivation each year, yielding around 10 million metric tons. Garlic's global appeal is evident in places like Gilroy, California, an agricultural hub known for its annual Garlic Festival since 1979, where visitors can enjoy a variety of garlic-infused foods, including garlic ice cream.

Interestingly, while China's love for garlic spans millennia, its emergence as a major player in the garlic export market is relatively recent. In the early 1990s, Chinese garlic represented only about 2% of garlic imported to the U.S., but this figure rose dramatically to 66% by 2012, as reported by Spices Inc. This shift underscores China's growing influence in the global garlic market.