Egypt is one of the world’s largest garlic producers, and for importers the egyptian garlic wholesale offer splits into two distinct products: fresh green garlic in early spring and dry garlic from late spring onward. They have different specs, different shelf lives, different carriage rules — and mixing them up on a purchase order is the most common first-time buyer mistake in this category.
PEIVANA supplies both formats from Beheira and Minya growing regions through stations linked to Alexandria, Damietta, Sokhna, and Port Said. This guide sets out varieties, calibers, packing formats, and QC checkpoints so your first Egyptian garlic container arrives exactly as ordered.
Fresh vs Dry: Two Products, One Origin
Fresh green garlic (February–April): harvested before full curing, with high moisture, white-violet wet skins, and a mild, juicy flavour prized in Gulf and European ethnic markets. It must move fast — reefer carriage at 0–2°C and a 3–4 week commercial life.
Dry garlic (May onward): field- and shade-cured bulbs with papery skins and months of storage life, shipped in ventilated dry containers or reefers. This is the volume business — and Egypt’s answer to Chinese garlic for buyers who want a shorter supply line to Europe, Africa, and the Gulf.
Varieties & Grades
- Egyptian White (Balady): compact bulbs, many small cloves, intense flavour and high allicin — the traditional cooking garlic, strong in African and Middle Eastern markets.
- Egyptian Red (Sids 40 type): larger bulbs, fewer and bigger cloves, red-violet skins — the closest Egyptian match to Chinese-style specs, preferred in Europe and Brazil-style markets.
Class 1: firm, well-cured bulbs, intact outer skins, no sprouting, no mould, roots trimmed. Class 2: minor skin cracks and staining allowed, sound cloves.
Sizes & Calibers
| Caliber | Bulb diameter (mm) | Product | Typical markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super / 6+ | 60+ | Red, dry | EU retail, premium |
| 5.5–6 | 55–60 | Red, dry | EU, Gulf retail |
| 5–5.5 | 50–55 | Red/White, dry | Wholesale core |
| 4.5–5 | 45–50 | White, dry | Africa, processing |
| Bunched | by bunch weight | Fresh green | Gulf, EU ethnic |
Packing Options
| Format | Net weight | Product | Units / 40′ container | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carton | 10 kg | Dry | ~2,400 | Standard export |
| Mesh bag | 10 kg | Dry | ~2,500 | Wholesale, ventilation |
| Mesh bag | 20 kg | Dry white | ~1,250 | Africa, processing |
| Small nets in carton | 10 × 500 g / 1 kg | Dry | ~2,200 | Retail programs |
| Carton, bunched | 5–10 kg | Fresh green | reefer only | 0–2°C carriage |
Dry garlic ships in ventilated containers (cool months) or reefers at -0.5 to 0°C, 65–70% RH for long storage programs — note the low humidity: garlic is the exception to the high-RH rule.
Season
Fresh green: February–April. Dry: May through autumn, with cold-stored dry garlic available most of the year. Map both windows against companion products in our Egyptian produce seasons calendar.
QC Checkpoints Buyers Should Demand
- Curing verification for dry garlic: neck fully dry, skins papery, moisture checked — under-cured garlic moulds in transit.
- Sprouting and internal waxy breakdown cut tests per lot.
- Caliber sampling with ring gauges, photographed per pallet.
- Zero tolerance for live mites and thrips under outer skins — a standard rejection cause at EU borders.
- Fumigation / phytosanitary documents matched to destination requirements before booking.
Mixed-Container Fit
Dry garlic is one of the best consolidation products in the Egyptian catalog — it tolerates the 0–5°C settings of citrus and onion loads and fills odd pallet spaces profitably. A classic build: onions + garlic + citrus in one winter reefer. See the mixed produce containers guide and the winter mixed container: citrus & onions pallet plan where garlic is the standard third line.
FAQ
How does Egyptian garlic compare with Chinese?
Egyptian red runs slightly smaller on average but offers stronger flavour, shorter transit to Europe/Africa, and diversification away from single-origin risk. Many buyers now split programs between the two origins.
How long does dry Egyptian garlic store?
Well-cured bulbs hold 4–6 months at cool ambient and up to 8–9 months in cold storage at -0.5 to 0°C.
Can I combine garlic with other products?
Yes — that is our specialty as the flexible Egyptian exporter. Garlic loads from 2 pallets inside mixed containers alongside onions, citrus, or sweet potatoes.
Get a Garlic Quotation
Tell us fresh or dry, variety, caliber, and packing — we respond with a same-day quote. Contact PEIVANA or message us on WhatsApp.