Garlic to pinch consumers for another 15 days

New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) While consumers in the nationalcapital heaved a sigh of relief with the easing of prices ofonion and tomato, they continue to feel the pinch due toskyrocketing rates of garlic, which is ruling at Rs 300 a kgin retail.

Price of garlic is hovering around Rs 250-300 per kg inthe national capital in retail for the past over 1.5 months,traders said.

They said consumers have to wait for another fortnightfor the cost of the bulb to start coming down with arrival offresh produce from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthanand Maharashtra.

"New garlic crop will start coming in the markets in thenational capital after February 15," Vice-President of Azadpurmarket based Garlic Merchants Association, Jitendra Khuranatold PTI.

Garlic is used for flavouring various dishes and is alsoused as an important ingredient in Ayurvedic medicines.

An important bulb crop, garlic is selling at Rs 120-170 akg in the wholesale, Khurana added.

Khurana said Azadpur (Asia''s biggest fruits