In South Africa, the tomato industry has been facing challenges due to unpredictable weather conditions, which have impacted product demand and led to an increase in prices. Western Cape crop farmer, Byron Booysen, has expressed concerns over the fluctuations in tomato prices and the effects of climate change on agriculture. He has reduced his tomato farming operations in the past two seasons due to these issues.
The agriculture sector is grappling with the effects of flooding and drought, making it difficult for farmers to prioritize tomato production. Booysen highlighted the issues of disease resistance in plants amidst erratic temperatures and weather patterns.
Johnny van der Merwe, managing director of AM Trends, reported a 9% increase in tomato prices last week, with the average price per kilogram reaching R18.93, marking a 63% hike from the previous year. This surge is attributed to challenging production conditions and a current production gap, further exacerbated by pests and insects developing resistance to pesticides. These factors have resulted in a 5% decrease in production levels year-on-year and a 19% drop compared to two years ago, significantly affecting the industry's sustainability and profitability, particularly for smaller producers.
Source: foodformzansi.co.za