Garlic from Mafangkou

Garlic from Mafangkou

　　It has a long history of cultivation and is sold in Jiujiang, Henan, Hebei, and the northeastern provinces. The main production areas include Mafangkou, Xin’an, Zhangtang, and Fudu in Konglong Town. Before 1949, the planting area exceeded 10,000 mu, with an annual output of over 2.5 million kilograms of garlic. Varieties include “single-clove garlic,” “first wide,” “second wide,” and “Su garlic.” “Single-clove garlic” is characterized by its undivided bulb, large size, white color, thick flesh, and mild spiciness; “first wide” is small with a red hue, divided into 5–7 cloves, with a strong spiciness, also known as fragrant garlic; “second wide” is slightly red, small in size, divided into 4–6 cloves, and has a taste similar to “first wide”; “Su garlic” has large, white bulbs, also called “white garlic,” and offers milder spiciness. Among these varieties, “first wide” and “second wide” are considered the best, followed by “single-clove garlic.”