The cost of avoiding a 3G stink: 10,000 tons of garlic

Nokia and Motorola had better watch out: South Korea's Samsung Electronics is after the number one spot in the mobile handset market and will do just about anything to make it happen.

As a statement of intent, the decision to buy $2.1m worth of garlic from its near-neighbour, China, is pretty difficult to beat. It also takes a bit of understanding.

The mobile maker's move came following a plea from the South Korean government who were looking to avoid a repetition of a trade dispute last year when China cut shipments of handsets for 40 days. China was retaliating to South Korea's decision to triple tariffs on garlic imports.

Keen to avoid another international incident South Korea agreed to buy 10,300 metric tons of garlic as a gesture of good will. For Samsung it was a price worth paying to keep the trade route open to what is potentially the largest mobile market in the world.

The local news service, Yonhap News, didn't say what the mobile maker planned to do with its share of the garlic. But if you've got any sensible or - better still - ridiculous ideas what Samsung should do with it, let us know by posting a reader comment below.