The potency of garlic has been recognized more than 2,000 years. In Egypt, when the incredible pyramids were being built, the slaves constructing them were given garlic for physical strength. In modern times, our lolas used garlic to cure aches and pains, having discovered its medicinal properties.
Then garlic became the very essential cooking spice, for what would our adobo be without garlic? What would our sinangag be without garlic?
Today we are witnessing a mystery, featuring bawang (garlic). If we remember correctly, about two decades ago, our markets were invaded by cheap garlic from Taiwan. The import then cost P35 a kilo as against the P80 a kilo price of the native variety, mostly coming from the Ilocos region. Braided together like pigtails, bunches of garlic would hang from every tienda by the roadside in the region. We would always stop and buy this because Philippine garlic is more potent, even though it is smaller in size. Up to this day, the local variety is our choice. Like its supposed “cousins” leeks, chives and onions, garlic brings to any dish a unique flavor.
Then through the years, the price of Ilocos garlic skyrocketed to more than P300 a kilo. Call it a capricious habit, but we never changed our choice. In the course of time, the Taiwanese variety also increased in price to (until recently) more than P100 a kilo. Now comes the mystery and controversy.
Taiwanese garlic started to cost more, for what reason we still have to find out. A month ago it went up to P168, then two weeks ago, in a wet market, a kilo sold for as high as P380! Last week (July 24) during another wet market visit, the imported variety was tagged at P320 a kilo, the same price as the native kind. In a supermarket nearby, the Taiwanese import sold at P310 while ours went for P240. What happened? Did legal importation fees increase? This we need to find out. This has been in the news, with investigations and inquiries, etc. But we have not heard of any findings.
Now yet another so-called strange pricing has been uncovered – the price of onions. What’s next? We would rather have a conclusive result of the garlic mystery first, then tackle the onions. Or can both investigations happen at the same time, so the anxious public can have the answers? We shall wait and see.
However, with or without garlic, let’s have a happy Sunday family meal.
E-mail me at lydiadolores34@gmail.com