Michael Kuettner wrote:

>> I know it happens for everything but... half? Do you have any source
>> for that info?

> <http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=OLAF/10/6&format=HTML&aged=0&language=DE&guiLanguage=fr>
>
> That one, for example.
> The math : 1 200 000 kg = 1 500 000 Euro in tarriffs alone.
> Meaning : By just smuggling the garlic into Europe you earn 1,5 Euros
> per kilo.
> Add to that :
> - EU money for growing garlic in poor parts of Italy
> - the difference of price between 1 ton of garlic from China vs. 1
> from Italy
> - long open coasts and the Mafia.
> Half was a conservative estimation. It could be two thirds.

I can't see a source backing up the statement "About half of the "Italian"
garlic is from China", moreso two thirds...

> Only drugs bring more money than garlic ...

Textile makes much more money than garlic, you can be assured.

>> Peperoncino is there but it gets usually omitted when citing this
>> dish, so the common form is "spaghetti aglio e olio", or "aio e oio"
>> in south Italy where also spaghetti doesn't need to be cited since
>> they're a staple for this dish, just as hot pepper.

> I've seen aglio olio e peperoncino vs. aglio e oglio in Veneto nearly
> everywhere.
> Maybe it's a regional thing.

Probably, take into account that both here and in Veneto it's an imported
dish & name