The Truth About Imported Garlic (And Why Local Matters)

If you walk into almost any grocery store in America, and chances are high the garlic you’re buying didn’t come from a nearby farm. It likely traveled thousands of miles to get there.

Garlic is one of the most heavily imported food crops in the United States. 

The numbers are eye-opening:

• The U.S. imports over 130,000 tons of garlic each year
• Imports are valued at roughly $293 million annually- and rising
• Imports have steadily increased over the past decade

Globally, garlic production is highly concentrated, with a handful of countries dominating supply, making the U.S. heavily dependent on imports. And China consistently ranks as the top supplier to the U.S.

Why Is So Much Garlic Imported?

The short answer: cost.

Imported garlic is often cheaper to produce due to lower labor costs and large-scale industrial production. That makes it appealing for retailers trying to keep prices low.

Over time, this price pressure has reshaped the market. Imported garlic has steadily taken market share, making it harder for small and mid-sized American farms to compete. The rise in garlic imports isn’t just a food trend- it’s part of a larger shift in agriculture.

Cheaper Doesn’t Mean Better

When garlic is imported versus sourced locally, the integrity of the crop gets lost along the way. 

Flavor & Freshness

Imported garlic can spend weeks (or even longer) in transit and storage before it even reaches your kitchen resulting in loss of flavor and storage life. Local garlic is harvested, cured, and sold much closer to home- meaning a bold, rich flavor, higher nutritional value, and a longer storage life. 

Connection

When you buy imported garlic, you’re often disconnected from where and how it was grown. With local garlic, you know the farm, the practices, and the people behind it.

Why Buying Local Garlic Makes a Difference

Every dollar spent on local garlic stays in your community, supports a family farm, and helps preserve agricultural land for future use.

And just as importantly, it supports better garlic. Garlic that’s grown with care, harvested at the right time, and handled in a way that prioritizes quality over volume. Garlic shouldn’t just be cheap. It should be good.

At Honeyville Acres, we grow garlic by hand, right here in Northern Utah. From planting to harvest, every step is intentional. We focus on flavor, soil health, and growing practices that produce garlic we’re proud to share.

Because to us, garlic isn’t just an ingredient- it’s something worth doing well.

The Next Time You Buy Garlic…

Take a second look.

Where did it come from? How far did it travel? And what are you really getting?

An excellent way to spot imported garlic is to look at the bottom. Imported garlic, particularly from China, arrives in the U.S. without roots, showing a clean, concave, or “bleached” bottom. This is due to regulations to prevent the import of soil-borne diseases.

Choosing local garlic might seem like a small decision but it’s one that supports better food, stronger communities, and farms that care deeply about what they grow.

And that’s something worth bringing into your kitchen.