Americans consume about 3 lbs of Garlic per person every year most of it comes from China. China produces 75 to 80% of the Worlds garlic supply [2]. California was once considered the Worlds Garlic Capital, in 1996 they grew 36,000 acres of Garlic by 2006 they grew half that amount and the numbers have dwindled increasingly ever since.
No, it's not some vast conspiracy by slanty eyed foreigners to undermine the health and well being of American citizenry. It's not communists lurking in the shadows poised to pounce as they poison us, but Garlic from China is simply not healthy, in fact in most cases it is downright toxic.
Toxic Garlic From China
Pesticides
Chinese agricultural conglomerates use lethal pesticides forbidden in most other countries in order to increase their garlic production. Parathion is one of these, it is a highly poisonous organic phosphate, it is either banned or restricted in most of the civilized world. Parathion is also known as Folido, parathion-ethyl and diethyl parathion.
Parathion disrupts the central nervous system, not only in bugs but higher life forms such as humans. It is easily absorbed via skin, mucous membranes, or orally. It is so toxic it has been used as a chemical warfare agent. Its use is banned or restricted in 23 countries and its import is illegal in a total of 50 countries.[1]
Other toxic compounds found in varying dosages in Chinese Garlic include phorate, which is highly toxic and remains in the soil for up to 173 days [3].
Methyl bromide, the EPA has proposed restrictions on methyl bromide but that doesn't stop the Chinese [4]. It is an ozone depleting chemical, and not too great for humans either. It is harmful to our central nervous systems and respiratory systems. It's been found in Chinese Garlic along with the aforementioned pesticides as well as elevated concentrations of sulfites and lead not found in garlic from other lands , including our own.
Crops grown in Human Waste and Sewage
Aside from pesticides Chinese garlic producers in some, but not all cases, are very resourceful, instead of paying for fertilizer to irrigate and nourish their crops they quite frequently use raw untreated sewage - yum. As a topping that sewage commonly contains high amounts of lead.
Growth Inhibitors and Bleaching
Once the crops are harvested the unhealthy treatments do not stop. Growth inhibitors are commonly used. Growth inhibitors themselves are not all that bad, that's not to say they are good but other countries including the USA do it as well.
In order to create a more appealing product for Western Markets China whitens their garlic with bleach. Various chemicals are used in all phases of Chinese garlic production and most end up in our bodies, but hey we saved a few bucks - right ? Not only is the Chinese Garlic cheaper than domestically produced counter parts - just think about the benefits - it's that many more migrant laborers available to landscape Hollywood and Malibu mansions.
Evading Import Fees and Skirting Government Regulation
In the 1990s China started "dumping" garlic on the US market, they were selling it below what it cost to produce in an effort to destroy US domestic producers ability to compete. In 2006 138 million pounds of Chinese grown garlic found its way to the American Market.
Starting in 2012 a Chinese company 'Jinxiang Hejia' began dumping Garlic on the US market. Their first shipment was for 7,000 lbs and it was gradually increased to the point where it reached 60 Million pounds as of 2014.
Jinxiang Hejia initially circumvented paying duties of more than $2 a pound [over 120 Million dollars] by securing favorable terms granted by the US Govt. to companies that do not threaten U.S. industries.
A loophole in 1994 anti-dumping legislation of garlic exported to the US by foreign shippers who were not involved in an earlier anti-dumping order was inserted, either by design or incompetent ignorance, that allows many Chinese companies to circumvent the duties.
How our Government determined that dumping garlic at a third of the price that US Companies would be able to sell it at - doesn't threaten US interests defies logic.
Later in 2014, customs agents examining garlic shipments arriving in US Ports discovered that Hejia, which had been granted the favorable trade status, was not producing much of the garlic being dumped on the US Markets. Other Chinese companies which owed Millions in unpaid duties were actually producing the Garlic and Hejia was merely a front company. [5]
This is one of the many repercussions that have been echoing through America since the Clinton days - when Bill Clinton's Administration conspired to sell seats on taxpayer-funded trade missions to the Chinese. This scandal which is perhaps the worst in US History, makes the watergate plumbers look like shop lifters in comparison to the master criminals of the Clinton Empire. I only shutter to think what lies ahead if the evil head mistress of the Clinton Empire ever gets the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. See: Chinagate and the Clintons
The dumping of Chinese garlic has devastated the U.S. Garlic industry. Many garlic packers from small mom and pop producers to large commercial operations have been put out of business, jobs lost and families economically destroyed. But hey who cares ... so long as the Clinton mob makes out on the deal - right ?
The imports by the Jinxiang Hejia syndicate have ceased, but other Chinese companies, some suspect run by the same people, have picked up the ball and continue to out think US Authorities, the end result being an inferior, toxic product for the US Consumer, and the Garlic Industry ground into the dust.
The US Customs and Border Authority estimated that China has dodged the bullet on $541 million due American tax payers for garlic imports, that's just Garlic mind you, when other imports from China are brought into the equation the figure is well into the Billions.
Importers magically evaporate and reappear under differing banners before paying any duty bills, free to continue their underhanded double dealing.
Footnotes / References
