Although there is no fluctuation in the domestic production, the import of garlic in the first six months of the current fiscal year has been abnormal. According to the import data of the customs department for the past 5 years, garlic worth 1 billion 15 million rupees has been imported on an annual average. But the question arose after the import of 6.18 billion from last July to November.

According to experts, garlic should be imported as domestic production does not meet the demand. But Ramakrishna Regmi, Senior Statistics Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, said that the current import is abnormal.

Apart from households, garlic is also consumed in the noodle industry. There may also be a purpose of saving. But it also depends on how long the balance of billions of rupees will be kept," he said. "If the business of the industry had increased greatly, the import of garlic could have been considered natural. But now it doesn't look like that. Generally, consumption is not more than 6 times, so the import is doubtful.

He speculated that the garlic imported from China may have gone to India. Indian officials have been complaining that Chinese goods are reaching the Indian market through Nepal. The production, consumption and import of garlic is questionable," said Regmi. The country's annual garlic production is about 73 thousand tons. 

According to the ministry, in the financial year 2077/78, 72 thousand 490 tons of garlic were cultivated in 9 thousand 784 hectares. In 078/79, 9 thousand 943 hectares were cultivated and 74 thousand 763 tons were produced. In 079/80, 9,570 hectares were cultivated. The production was 73 thousand 567 tons. 

``Indigenous products are consumed locally, hotels, restaurants and industries should be imported from China,'' said Uddhav Adhikari, founding president of the Federation of Farmers' Groups, 'but the unnatural import has raised questions in the data.' He claims that other goods may have been imported by showing garlic to get convenience. 

In the past, paddy, rice and other goods were imported. Even now, the data may have been increased by showing garlic to evade the customs and importing other goods,'' said the official, adding that the import may also have increased for smuggling. It is necessary for the regulatory body to look into it.

Since 2014, India has banned the import of Chinese garlic. The ban on importation was imposed on the grounds that high levels of pesticides were used during cultivation and that it was not in accordance with Indian standards. India also believes that its farmers are suffering due to the import of cheap Chinese garlic. But illegal entry into India has not stopped. Recently for garlic smuggling  Businessmen say that Nepal has become a 'transit'. 

"It can be sold for 12 to 15 rupees more per kg in India than in Nepal, because of the open border, there is smuggling," said a businessman of Kalimati vegetable market, "that's why the import is abnormal." In the financial year 2079/80, the import was 1.11 billion 2.5 million and in 2080/81, 2.22 million 52 million was imported. In the first 6 months of the current financial year, it is mentioned that the import was worth 6.18 billion 54 million. During the period of 6 months, the export is negligible. Garlic worth Rs 3 lakh 83 thousand has been exported to Japan. According to

, garlic worth 49.55 million was imported from China last July. 1 billion 32 million worth of garlic was imported from China in August and 788 million worth of garlic in October. It is mentioned that the import of 82.3 million in October, 2.223 million in November and 82.37 million in January. According to the businessmen, the price of garlic has not decreased in Nepal due to the import of garlic.

'Last year, the average price of a kilo was 250 rupees. Now the price has not decreased below 290 rupees," said the businessman, "the price should decrease based on imports. But India has gone, that's why the price did not fall. After getting higher prices in India, Nepal was made a 'transit'. That's why the price is relatively expensive.''

Last November, Parsa police seized 1,780 kg of garlic stored illegally in a poultry farm located in Bindwasini rural municipality-3 Jhowa. The police said that the trader had stored the garlic in the border village to smuggle it to India. Similarly, the local administration seized 7 quintals of garlic from Mechi municipality-6 last November. Garlic worth 3.5 lakh rupees hidden in a bamboo bag was recovered. 

Harisharan Pudasaini, director general of the customs department, said that although the six-month import was abnormal, the import after the month of Magh was low. 6 months of import is abnormal. But it is not a banned item, that's why it has come," Director General Pudasaini said, "But we have received information that imports have decreased since Magh." Mukti Prasad Shrestha, information officer of the