Potatoes South Africa said there is no shortage of potatoes in the country and has also noted that “the reports of potato shortages and excessively high prices are over exaggerated and unlikely to materialise.” According to a report by Lutho Pasiya, published on IOL, this comes after producers in Limpopo were severely affected by black frost during the past winter, leading to widespread damage to potato crops.
Reports revealed that the shortage was expected to worsen in September, prompting concerns about the availability of potatoes and frozen chips.
Willie Jacobs, chief executive officer of Potatoes SA, stated that during a survey among their members in Limpopo, it was found that potatoes were in different growing stages when the frost occurred. This meant that it was unlikely that entire harvests were ruined.
He added that while it had been difficult to quantify the yields lost, data indicated that 3 674 hectares were affected in Limpopo, with a possible average yield loss of 32%. Jacobs said this was likely to translate into a 3% reduction in potato supply from the five-year average nationwide.
Agbiz chief economist, Wandile Sihlobo, also confirmed on X that there was no shortage of potatoes in SA. “Our supplies are solid. The black frost impacted potato production in the northern regions of Limpopo. But, the farmers are working hard to close the gap, and the potato deliveries in the various areas are encouraging,” wrote Sihlobo.
Source: IOL. Full report here
Related: Black frost in South Africa’s Limpopo region hit potato crops hard, spurs possible shortage and price hikes
Image: Credit Image by James Hills from Pixabay
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