Prices of South African onions break all records

Published 2022년 10월 28일

Tridge summary

The article highlights a significant shift in the South African agricultural market, with onion prices soaring and potato prices hitting record lows. The surge in onion prices, which have tripled in cost compared to last year, is attributed to reduced planting areas and increased cultivation costs. Factors such as water scarcity, competition with export fruits, and a moderate onion season in 2021 have led to a decrease in planting, exacerbating the shortage and driving prices up. Furthermore, the market is experiencing changes due to a soil disease, onion white rot, which has severely affected onion yields around Brits, forcing growers to consider alternative crops to maintain soil health. These market dynamics and the challenges they pose are expected to persist until Christmas, with potential long-term implications for the onion industry.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Onions and potatoes have switched places compared to last year, when potatoes excelled and onion prices plummeted. Now potato prices are extremely low, while onions are doing well: the price for a 10 kg bag of onions is three times that of last year, says Kobus Pienaar of GROW Port Natal in the Durban market. The onion market is currently shifting from Limpopo to the North Cape and the west of the Free State; Prices are expected to remain high until Christmas, which is traditionally a strong sales period for onions. An onion field in Limpopo Due to the lower volumes available, onions are sold for as much as R115 (6.40 euros) for a 10 kg bag, or more than R10 (0.50 euros) per kilogram in central South Africa. These are extremely high prices. About a year ago the onion price was R3 per kilo. On the coast, transport costs push up the price of a 10kg bag even further by R6 (0.30 euros) to R10 (0.55 euros), says Kobus; previously that difference was R2 to R4. Kobus explains that the ...

Source: Uiennieuws