CAPE TOWN: South Africa is self-sufficient in potatoes. 2015 was an exceptionally good year with a harvest of 250 million 10kg bags, which fell to 214 million 10kg bags in 2016 due to drought and excessive heat. This year it appears as if the area under potatoes is somewhat less, but a better harvest than last year can be expected, says Dr André Jooste, CEO of Potatoes SA.
Approximately 50 000 to 54 000ha is annually planted with potatoes, most of this in the Eastern Free State Province under dryland conditions, followed by Limpopo Province, under irrigation. Limpopo produces the largest volume of potatoes. Domestic prices are currently slightly higher than in previous years (excluding 2016), due to supply to the market, reduced plantings and climatic conditions.
There is thus far no evidence of damage to potatoes by the infamous fall army worm, currently ravaging maize and other cereal crops in Southern Africa. Potatoes SA postulates that this might be because potato farmers already spray against potato tuber moth and that these insecticides provide protection against the fall army worm.
About half of the national volume goes toward informal trading channels, for sale by street hawkers or small general dealers, emphasising potatoes’ increasing importance as a staple food crop. The value of the primary industry is estimated at R7 billion (€507 million) but if processing and other value-added activities are included all the way downstream to the consumer, it has a value of up to R21 billion (€1.5 billion).
