Unscientific Sandveld water restrictions will make potatoes unaffordable in South Africa

Sky rocketing potato prices seen at the end of 2023 could become the new reality if water usage restrictions are imposed on farmers in the Western Cape’s Sandveld region. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has proposed a water reserve determination for the F60 and G30 catchments in the Berg-Olifants water management area in the Western Cape. Water reserves serve as a baseline of water availability in the region, which is then used to decide how much water can be extracted by all users. The DWS published the draft reserve determination in the government gazette in May. Based on the DWS’s figures on water availability, they propose that water extraction by farmers be reduced by 30% to ensure that the area has sufficient water to sustain its population and environment. This would result in 30% of the hectares under potatoes in the Sandveld taken out of production, resulting in the quadrupling of potato prices. “South Africa got a first-hand look late last year of what ...