The dehydrated onion powder price per kg and the dehydrated garlic price in India both start with the cost of the fresh bulb, which is far heavier than the dried product. Several kilograms of fresh onion make one kilogram of dried, so a change in the raw price passes straight through, with drying energy and grade on top. No price is given here, because it moves with the crop.
What follows explains the layers, so you can see why two quotes for the same product differ.
Why does raw bulb cost matter so much?
Fresh onion is about 90% water and garlic roughly 60 to 65%. A dehydrator has to buy a large weight of bulb for a small weight of product, so raw cost is the biggest single driver. How the price of dehydrated onion is set lays out the chain.
Fresh onion prices swing with the crop, the weather and export policy. How the fresh onion price affects dehydrated onion shows the lag between the two.
What does yield do to the price?
Yield is the weight of finished product from a tonne of bulb. It depends on the variety, the dry matter of the bulb and how much is lost in peeling, trimming and sorting. A plant with better yield can quote lower for the same raw price.
Be cautious when a quote looks very low. It may reflect a lower grade, a looser specification, or an unrealistic yield that will be recovered by changing the product later.
What else adds to the cost?
Beyond the bulb and yield, these items build up the quote:
- Drying energy, which depends on fuel and the plant's efficiency.
- Grade and form, since white flakes cost more to make than powder from pink bulbs, and finer mesh needs more milling. See mesh and granule sizes explained.
- Testing, including microbiology, pesticide residues and any treatment you require.
- Packing, such as bag size, liner and carton, plus palletising.
- Order size, since a full container is cheaper per kilogram to handle than a part load.
How do you ask for a quote that can be compared?
Send every supplier the same specification: form, mesh or size, moisture, colour, microbiology, pack and shipment month. Ask for the quote to state its validity and basis, such as FOB. A price without a specification is not a quote. Writing a specification for dehydrated onion powder gives a template, and dehydrated onion and garlic from India is the overview.
Why do quotes change during the season?
Dehydrators buy fresh bulb in the harvest months and often stock the raw crop in cold or dry stores. A plant that bought early may quote lower than one that buys as it goes, and the gap can reverse in a few weeks. Ask whether the offer is covered by raw material already bought, because that tells you how long the price is likely to hold.
Next step
If you want firm quotes for onion or garlic from plants that meet your spec, book a free sourcing review. We check samples and have lots tested before you commit.