Does Assam produce garlic? The 2023 edition of the Statistical Handbook of Assam, brought out by the Directorate of Economics & Statistics, does not contain any information at all about garlic production in the state. The website of the Directorate of Horticulture, Government of Assam, which does not appear to have been updated for several years, on the other hand, contains data for the year 2015-16, in which it has been stated that the state had, during 2015-16, produced 60,843 metric tonnes of garlic. It also states that Goalpara and Kamrup districts had produced 8180 metric tonnes and 6298 metric tonnes of garlic, respectively, during that year. The issue of garlic has assumed importance in recent times in the backdrop of media reports that huge quantities of garlic produced in China—which are allegedly harmful to human health—have flooded the market in Assam despite a clear ban issued by the Union government on Chinese garlic in 2014 itself. As reported on the front page of the Sunday edition of this newspaper, while unscrupulous traders have pumped in huge quantities of Chinese garlic to the region through Bangladesh, the concerned authorities have allegedly turned a blind eye to it for reasons best known to them. As reported, Chinese garlic is known for its high use of pesticides and chemicals during cultivation. These substances can pose serious health risks to consumers. In contrast, Indian garlic is grown with minimal use of pesticides and fertilisers, prioritising natural farming methods. What is needed is not just a crackdown on Chinese garlic but also an aggressive campaign to promote garlic cultivation among the farmers of the state.