Brace for a potato shortage and an increase in the price of spuds across town and country.
Brace for a potato shortage and an increase in the price of spuds across town and country.
McCains Foods SA reports that continuous adverse weather conditions, particularly the heavy rains early in 2010, majorly delayed potato harvesting. Managing director Philip Nieman said there was a high incidence of defects in the potato crop, including hollow heart, malformation, high sugar and size problems.
He said the crop was further compromised by a black frost in mid-June and mid-July which caused prolonged problems with potatoes that had not fully matured.
Potato South Africa state that abnormally heavy rains and extreme frost in the Limpopo and Loskop Valley areas led to an estimated drop of 100 000 tons of potatoes – a 5% decrease in the total annual crop. They also say that the frost affected the crop planted in March and the loss is estimated to be 33 million tons of potatoes.
Such losses will impact on the availability of potatoes in fresh produce markets and stores later this month and the anticipated shortages will continue up until the end of October. The situation could stabilise, but this will be subject to climatic conditions.
Rollercoaster Prices
In the period between August and October 2008, a kilogram of potatoes sold for R1.80. Then within the same period in 2009, it shot up to R5 per kg and is now R3.30. Economist at Potato South Africa, Pieter van Zyl said the price could go up, but it won’t be as bad as in 2009.
Local Pick n Pay fruit and veg section manager, Craig Timm said the potato shortage will increase the price of potatoes at the supermarket.
“The shortage has pushed up the price as we used to get them for between R30 and R38 per bag,” he said.
Checkers fruit and veg controller, MacBeth Twani said the supermarket sells 7kg bags at R39.99, which is up from R37.99.
“We got our potatoes from a warehouse in Port Elizabeth, so they give us a selling price, but we sell loose potatoes at R8.99 a kilogram,” said Twani.
Thomas Stone, owner of His Majesty’s Fruit and Veg says he gets potatoes at R40 a bag and sells it for at R49, while in September last year, he got potatoes at R55 a bag which were sold at R65 a bag.
“Besides potatoes, other vegetables like green peppers and tomatoes will be in short supply, so their prices will also rise,” said Stone. The price of potatoes at Fruit and Veg has risen from R29.99 for a 10kg bag in January to R36.99 in July.
