Vegetable prices on South Africa's fresh produce markets fell steeply in the past week while some fruit gained, according to the GroundRules market update by Agricultural Market Trends (AMT), presented by agricultural economist Conce Moraba. The question for growers, she said, is not only how much produce reaches the municipal market floors but whether prices have now fallen far enough to bring back hesitant buyers.
Potatoes, which traded above R82 a bag a week earlier, fell more than 23% to an average R63.46 per 10kg bag. Moraba cited high arrivals, heavy carried-over stock, weak consumer buying power and heat-related quality problems, and said prices could fall further as stock builds.
Tomatoes fell harder, by 40% in seven days to R8.97 a kilo, 23% cheaper than a year ago, after an 18% weekly jump in supply. Heat sped up ripening and discolouration, and Moraba pointed to a structural problem: too few informal bulk buyers, the "sweepers" who usually clear lower-grade stock from the floors.
Other vegetables also eased. Onions fell to R139.38 per 10kg bag, and weekend arrivals suggest the shortage is ending; sweet peppers dropped 15% to R12.70 a kilo, green beans 32% to R15.54 and carrots 3% to R3.90. Garlic stayed high at R90.06 a kilo, though new supply could ease it over the next month.
Avocados were the week's winner, up 24% to R20.07 a kilo (Fuerte about R35, Hass R14), with supply expected to tighten towards year-end, and bananas rose 5% to R9.89 on a temporary dip in supply. Moraba warned that export growth does not guarantee farm returns: avocado exports are up nearly 16% on the year, but oversupply in Europe has squeezed margins. Namibia's October import rules also cap South African carrots and onions at 30% pro rata.
"A price can rise on shortage, but it takes real demand to keep it there," Moraba said. The report is by Raylentia Simmons for Food For Mzansi.
Photo: USDA (avocados, Escondido, California) / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Source: Food for Mzansi
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