MG Environment Newsletter Intro

People love potatoes and its versatility makes it a bonus for food lovers. Potatoes are a key source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. They are low in calories and have no fat or cholesterol — unless slap chips are your choice of consumption. 

Limpopo produces most of the crop in South Africa.

But in July, the region experienced black frost, which, like other frost, occurs in subfreezing temperatures but you can’t see the white frost. Aarti Bhana reports that about 1 800 hectares of potatoes were affected by the frost, but the full extent of the damages is yet to be determined. 

Supply will, however, be reduced and prices will increase — with predictions as high as 100% to 150%. But this may be offset by crops from the other 16 potato-growing areas. 

There are also proposals for water levies to be imposed on farmers in the Western Cape, which could affect the Sandveld crop of potatoes.

Read more about the potential potato price increase below.

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Ozayr Patel | Climate & Environment Editor |  @Ozayr8