High Risks and Low Predictability: The Truth About the “Garlic Business”
3 May 19:05
Garlic remains a quick source of working capital for Ukrainian farms, but an increasing number of farmers are refusing to consider it a staple crop due to the instability of yields and prices. This is discussed in an article in the magazine “Plantator,” as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to AgroTimes.
Vasyl Gontaruk, a farmer from Vinnytsia Oblast, notes that the result depends heavily on technology: “Under the same conditions, you can get either 3 t/ha or 6 t/ha.”
The main risk is disease, primarily root rot in irrigated fields, which quickly destroys the crop during periods of waterlogging.
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The price situation is also unstable. According to him, the market fluctuates widely—from 30 to 150 UAH/kg depending on the year and size, which complicates planning. At the same time, farmers are looking for ways to reduce costs, including producing their own planting material and using air-dried bulbs to “clean” the seeds.
“It brings in money, but it’s not something you can rely on 100%,” Gontaruk emphasizes. As a result, garlic is increasingly viewed as part of a crop rotation or a source of quick cash, rather than the foundation of a business.
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