Garlic tensions highlight China's complicated relationship with Africa
EMBARINGO, Kenya — On a sticky morning on the slopes of Mount Kenya, Solomon Wambogo Munyua sprinkles water on the long and sturdy green shoots of the garlic crop he planted in January.
Munyua, 38, and other local farmers say they are being undercut by producers who ship garlic almost 7,000 miles by sea from the world's most populous country. They accuse Beijing of"garlic dumping" and say they can't compete. In recent years, China has offered African countries loans, development aid and vast infrastructure projects as part ofowes 72 percent of its bilateral debtWith China holding the purse strings, it has the upper hand in any battle of wills — and garlic is just the latest foodstuff to be at the center of tensions here.
The location of his small plot of land makes it difficult to transport produce after it is harvested in May and November. But he struggles to comprehend why many Kenyan consumers are opting for the rounder and smoother white Chinese garlic bulbs over locally grown produce. While Chinese garlic features larger cloves that are easier to peel by hand than the more intricate Kenyan variety, Munyua believes his country's crop boasts a key advantage: its taste.Cousins James Kariuki Wahome, 36, and Peter Munene Ndurui, 40, rent half an acre of land here.
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