Short answer EU imposes 9.6% customs duty on foreign garlic China produces about 80% of the world's garlic, cheaply Criminals can make millions of euros smuggling it
There's a genuine reason to police this. Those recent salmonella poisonings in Europe that came from fresh vegetables (FFS) was a result of unsanitary growing conditions of the host country. Just google "night soil fertiliser" to see why. Garlic produced in China is particularly effected. Don't forget, these are the operators that put poison in baby formula...
its worse with truffles; chinese truffles sell for a few dollars while french for thousands, they look similar but taste different and in france now its a big problem http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/fr...fles-from-china/2006/01/26/1138066921596.html
The EU is also a beaurocratic Leviathan that at its' base is full of leaky holes. Anyone in the UK - Vote UKIP and get out of that EU fiasco.
Smuggling cigarette is taking too much heat? The Chinese garlic is $2 a small bag in market, and the Spanish garlic is like $20-$30/kg at supermarket. I'll be darned if I know the difference in taste...as I am hopeless at cooking anyway
I do First sign of a good "WOG" When nana makes Borscht , on the side is at least 3/4 cloves of raw garlic LOVE the stuff raw
Harvested my 1st garlic crop. Piece of Cake. Cloves in dirt right way up. Wait a couple of months. Cured in dry air for 10 days. Bung in freezer & use when needed. Once out of freezer keep in open air, not in fridge. Keeps vampires away.....