Garlic harvest in Santa Catarina is expected to reach 8,6 tons.

The 2025/2026 garlic harvest in Santa Catarina is progressing with an expansion of the cultivated area and a significant increase in production, but it faces a scenario of sharp decline in prices paid to producers and in the wholesale market. According to Infoagro from Epagri/Cepa, in this new harvest the planted area in the state reached 747 hectares, a growth of 13% compared to the previous cycle. 

With this progress, the expected production is 8.635 tons, a volume 19% higher than that recorded in the last harvest. The estimated average productivity also shows improvement, reaching 11,5 t/ha, a 5% increase compared to the previous year.

Despite positive performance in the field, the market began 2026 under pressure from prices. Sales started in January, with high-quality garlic types 4 and 5 being traded to producers at R$ 88,75 per 10-kilogram box. This value represents a 46% drop compared to January 2025, signaling a significant adjustment in prices.

At the wholesale level, the product is sold for R$ 142,50, a 5% decrease compared to December 2025, and a 32% decrease compared to January of last year. This movement reflects a more supplied market and a lower price environment throughout the supply chain.

According to Lillian Bastian, a Socioeconomic and Rural Development analyst at Epagri/Cepa, the drop in garlic prices compared to the previous harvest is directly associated with the increased supply in the market. Despite the Santa Catarina harvest showing high quality, there are still remaining volumes of garlic produced in the Cerrado region. Furthermore, between December 2025 and January 2026, Brazil imported approximately 35 tons of the product, predominantly from Argentina.

“This scenario of wide availability, which brings together garlic from Santa Catarina, the product from the Cerrado region, and imported volumes, intensifies competition in the domestic market, reducing marketing opportunities and pushing prices down to lower levels,” explains Bastian.

Even with the pressure on prices, the increase in production reinforces the importance of garlic in the agricultural diversification of Santa Catarina. The combination of larger area, productivity gains, and market challenges should mark the sector's behavior throughout the 2025/2026 harvest.