By Ragheema Mclean
The recent icy weather sweeping across parts of South Africa has left a trail of devastation in Limpopo’s farmlands, causing widespread damage.
The agriculture body TLU SA has reported that potato production has been particularly hard-hit, raising concerns about potential food shortages in the coming months.
The root cause of this agricultural crisis is black frost, which has severely damaged crops across the region. TLU SA warned that the impact could lead to a significant shortage of potatoes, with prices expected to surge between now and the end of September.
Meanwhile, local fresh produce distributor M&R Marketing, based in Epping, has already issued a notice alerting consumers to the impending potato shortage due to the harsh weather conditions.
Speaking on VOC Breakfast, Henk van de Graaf, the outgoing Chairman of TLU SA Limpopo, explained that the severe black frost forced farmers to harvest their potatoes prematurely.
As a result, consumers may struggle to find large potatoes, as only medium and small ones were salvaged.
“In Limpopo, during the first week of July, we experienced severe black frost. It was the worst cold front we’ve had in four decades. We had three days of black frost in one week, which is highly unusual for our warm province, and it has severely impacted the agricultural sector,” van de Graaf said.
He added that the initial feedback showed that not only potatoes but also pecan nuts, macadamia nuts, avocados, pawpaw’s, and even citrus fruits were heavily affected.
Despite the challenges, van de Graaf noted that the potato shortage may not be as severe as some predict, as some farmers were less affected by the frost.
However, he confirmed that there would be fewer potatoes available on the market, which is likely to drive up prices.
“Due to this shortage, the price of potatoes will rise,” van de Graaf cautioned, urging consumers to prepare for the financial impact of the reduced supply.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
Photo: Pexels
