KZN potato industry appeals for support amid rise

A pocket of 10kg potatoes in Phoenix range from R110 to R160. This has placed added pressure on households as potatoes are a staple diet among the community.

“It’s a go-to food to feed my family,” said Mr Naidoo, a resident of Clayfield, Phoenix. Times have become increasingly difficult as the Covid-19 pandemic caused many to lose their jobs, making means unbearable to put food on the table.

“Potatoes have now become a luxury in many homes because of the spike in prices. Now, we are buying only as much as we need and not like how we used to buy a pocket at a time,” said Danny Singh in Grove-End.

However, South Africa is facing even more gloom when it comes to one of our favourite vegetables.

With the recent lapse of anti-dumping duty protection, there is a significant risk that the increased volume of below-cost frozen ‘French fries’ that land on our shores from the Netherlands and Belgium will cripple South African farmers and producers.

Willie Jacobs, CEO of Potatoes South Africa (PSA), shared, “South African producers have been experiencing many challenges brought on by COVID-19, the cost-price squeeze, rising input costs and most recently, the riots in parts of the country. Furthermore, our producers don’t benefit from the financial support afforded to EU farmers by their governments, and simply cannot compete with below-cost products being dumped in our country. With less demand for local produce, there will be a ripple effect on livelihoods and job-losses, not to mention the effect on the economy.”