South Africa: Potato and onion prices see major spike as load-shedding bites

Published 2023년 10월 30일

Tridge summary

The price of potatoes and onions at large retailers has significantly increased, with potato prices more than doubling over the past year. Farmers have no control over pricing, which is determined by market dynamics and factors such as supply and demand, seasonal variations, and product availability. Load-shedding and other challenges in the agriculture industry, including reduced yields and escalating input costs, have contributed to the price increase. However, there is hope for increased production in the coming months in certain regions, which may help alleviate the situation. The price of onions has also been affected by load-shedding and other difficulties in the farming process, leading to limited supply and sustained high prices.

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

Original content

At most large retailers, a 7kg bag of potatoes was trading at between R110 and R150, while a 10kg bag of onions was trading at R180 to R250, depending on the class. A 10kg bag of white onions was trading at R130 to R140, while a 10kg bag of red onions was trading at R280. According to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, potato prices have more than doubled over the past year, showing a 102% increase in price in October 2023. Data collected from the Bureau of Food and Agricultural Policy has shown that the instability in demand for fresh produces has exacerbated increases owing to lower outputs. Commenting on the radical increase in prices, Potatoes South Africa said it was important to note that farmers had no control over pricing. Hanrie Greebe, communications manager at Potatoes South Africa, said prices were determined by fresh produce markets, responding to market dynamics like supply and demand, and were influenced by seasonal variations, product availability and ...

Source: Argenpapa