INDORE: It’s the same region where farmers were forced to throw away onions and garlic after prices plunge to as low as Rs 1 per kg but dealers of dehydrated products are fetching handsome returns, thanks to 10 per cent growth in its market.The demand for dehydrated vegetables led by garlic and onions from the region has gone up significantly due to superior quality and fragrance of locally produced commodities.Dehydrated vegetables’ exporter Banshi Agrawal said, “Demand for dehydrated items are growing as products manufactured from locally grown garlic and onion is getting acceptance in global market . Locally produced garlic has a huge demand in overseas market.”The region has emerged as a leading supplier of raw garlic and dehydrated products made of garlic to other states and overseas destinations because of abundant production and quality.Though onion is still trailing because the production of white variety used for dehydration is negligible and major chunk produced is red and pink, exporters and traders said.Another exporter Hitesh Patidar said his export volumes swelled by 20 per cent this year due to increased demand from overseas market.Market players said, cost of converting raw bulbs into any form of dehydrated products comes about Rs 25/kg –Rs 40/kg depending upon the quality.Raw garlic and onions are converted into dehydrated flakes, kibbled, granules and powder for exports while a limited quantity is purchased by hotels and institutions for domestic sales that is still a very niche market.Industry players said supply in the state is in abundance but lack of storage facilities and processing plants leads to massive wastage and loss to farmers.Indore’s Bharatiya Kisan Sangh spokesperson Dilip Mukati said, “Farmers do not have holding capacities and they sell just after the harvest to get quick money to repay loans. Infrastructure is poor and government need to intervene to support farmers.”He said a lot of produce goes into wastage as they are stored in godowns for days in absence of required temperature and humidity.Farmers’ body said exclusive cold chains should be developed for storing onions and garlic.According to Shailesh Hotwani, a garlic and onion trader from Mandsaur, daily supplies of garlic in Mandsaur is about 25,000 bags (1 bag =50 kg) of which 20,000 bags get sold out and over 80 per cent goes outstation to dehydrated manufacturers.MP Cold Chain Industries Association president Hansmukh Jain Gandhi said, “In MP there is not even a single advanced storage facility for onions and garlic due to lack of commercial viability. Demand from dehydrated manufacturers is limited as against production and this gap leads to wastage.”

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