China produced 21.3 million tons of garlic in 2022, about 73% of global supply

China produced 21.3 million tons of garlic in 2022, roughly 73% of global output

China remains the dominant force in the world garlic market. According to FAOSTAT, the statistical database of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), China produced 21,337,798 tons of garlic in 2022, while global output reached 29,149,438 tons the same year. That gave the country about a 73% share of world production, an unusually high concentration for a single agricultural crop, as reported by clickpetroleoegas.com.br.

When one country accounts for nearly three of every four tons produced worldwide, its position stops being merely statistical and starts shaping the structure of the market itself. For buyers, this level of concentration is central to any assessment of sourcing risk.

The scale in daily terms

Converted to a daily figure, China's 2022 volume is equivalent to roughly:

• about 58,460 tons per day
• more than 2,436 tons per hour
• just over 40 tons per minute

These figures are a mathematical exercise: real harvesting follows the agricultural calendar and does not occur continuously through the year, depending on planting season, weather and the harvest window for the bulbs. Even so, the daily average alone exceeds the entire annual garlic output of many countries.

Leader in exports as well

China's weight extends beyond the field. According to WITS, the World Bank-linked platform based on UN Comtrade data, China led global exports of fresh or chilled garlic in 2024, with sales of US$3.15 billion and shipments of 2.353 billion kilograms. That helps explain why Chinese garlic appears so frequently in markets across several continents.

The country's strength lies not only in harvesting large volumes but in cleaning, drying, grading, packing and distributing the product at scale for global trade. The leadership does not rest on a single giant farm but on a broad production base linked to processing and logistics.

An ancient crop with an industrial base

Garlic is one of the oldest known agricultural crops. The USDA Agricultural Research Service reports that garlic grows wild only in Central Asia, identified as the center of origin for the species. That long history helps explain why garlic became a central ingredient in many cuisines and a raw material for dehydrated products, seasonings and pastes.

The available data confirm that China remains far ahead of other global producers. With 21.3 million tons in 2022 and about 73% of world production, backed by processing and logistics on a continental scale, the country's presence has moved from strong to decisive for the global garlic supply. Its output weighs directly on prices, availability and trade flows in different regions of the world.