INDIAN GARLIC - roots.rivhahexports.com

Garlic has a naturally long shelf life if kept dormant.

Ambient (Room Temp): 1–3 Months
- Requires a cool, dry, and dark place with excellent cross-ventilation.
- Risk: High humidity causes mold; direct sunlight causes the cloves to turn yellow and shrivel.

1. Popular Indian Garlic Varieties

Indian garlic is broadly classified by the size of the bulb and the color of the skin.

Variety	Appearance	Characteristics	Best Use Case
G-2 (Yamuna Safed)	Creamy white skin	Compact bulbs, high pungency, many small cloves.	General cooking and retail markets.
G-50 (Yamuna Safed-2)	Pure white skin	Larger bulbs ( $40\text{--}45$ mm), solid cloves.	Preferred for export and premium retail.
G-282	Extra Bold, white skin	Very large bulbs, easy to peel, fewer but larger cloves.	Ideal for hotels, restaurants, and peeling industries.
Ooty Garlic	Brownish-white	High oil content, grown in hilly regions.	Medicinal use and premium spice powders.
Himachal Garlic	Large, purple-tinted skin	Cold-weather variety, very strong aroma.	Gourmet cooking and international exports.

Garlic is graded based on the diameter of the bulb. Standard 25kg bags are usually sorted into:

Extra Bold (> 45 mm): Premium grade, mainly for export and high-end catering.
Medium/Full (30 mm – 45 mm): The "Standard" grade for domestic wholesale and retail.
Ladwa/Small (20 mm – 30 mm): Used for industrial garlic paste or pickling.
Goli (Below 20 mm): Very small; often sold at low prices for budget markets.

Because garlic "breathes" significantly, airflow is the most critical factor in packaging.

Leno Mesh Bags (Recommended): The most common choice for 25kg. Usually in purple or red colors to make the white garlic skin pop visually.
Nylon Net Bags: Stronger than standard mesh, used for long-distance export to ensure the bag doesn't tear during rough handling.
Crate Packing: Sometimes 25kg is split into two 12.5kg crates for high-end "Super Bold" varieties to prevent crushing.

Curing: The outer skin must be paper-dry. If the "neck" of the garlic is still soft/wet, it will rot in the bag.
Root Trimming: Roots should be trimmed clean to prevent soil contamination.
Sprout Check: No green shoots should be visible (a sign of old
stock or poor storage).

4. Critical Storage Tip

Avoid Plastic Bags: Never store 25kg of garlic in solid plastic or sealed containers. The trapped moisture will cause "black mold" (Aspergillus niger) to destroy the entire bag within days.