Rectory Foods, which has just moved into the garlic sector with a new 10-strong range, says the "price hike follows this year’s trend of increasing prices due to lower yields during 2009, coupled with a poor crop".
Matthew Armitage, divisional director, food ingredients, told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “This year, prices for garlic are set to remain high, perhaps up to double the early 2009 season rate, but we are committed to delivering quality products at competitive prices.
“The harvesting of the new 2010 crop starts mid-June and positioning will be key this year to ensure annual cover is secured at the best price.”
He added: “For the last period, prices in China have remained stable, 2008 season prices were very low, to the extent that the farmers did not make much profit and in some cases a loss,
“For this reason, during 2009 the farmers decided to plant alternative products to make a profit, and as a result supply dropped and prices increased giving the high prices season we have had in 2009/2010.”
Rectory’s main source of garlic is China, which is the largest producer globally of garlic, said Armitage. “In China, garlic is usually planted at the end of September or the beginning of October. This year the harvest is delayed by approximately two weeks due to cold weather.”
However, demand and interest was “very high due to high prices and people waiting for new prices to arrive on the market”, he said. “Frozen garlic has grown rapidly and continues to grow, however we would like to see growth for the sterilised ambient garlic.”
New departure
Rectory Foods offers premium frozen and dehydrated garlic and an ambient sterilised purée.
Its frozen range includes premium whole garlic cloves, sliced and diced garlic pieces, and individually quick frozen (IQF) 20g ‘nuggets’ of garlic purée for food manufacturers and caterers to add to ready meals, sauces and dips.
It also supplies an ambient 10kg sterilised garlic purée pouch pack, containing 100% garlic, with no additives or preservatives and a 10-month shelf-life.