This story, from NPR's All Things Considered, about a Chinese "garlic bubble" reads like a children's tale: Peasants in China's countryside fill their garages to overflowing with garlic.
With swine flu fears running high—and a firm belief in the healing powers of an ancient, medicinal plant—people began hoarding. They bought large amounts when the price was low and, later, when there was a shortage, they sold old high—reaping small fortunes from the pungent root. As a result, garlic is now more valuable than gold in China.
almost all the garlic we’ve seen throughout the caribbean this year has been from CHINA– surprise? and they’ve got the packaging down.