Across South Africa, avocados registered a price reduction year-on-year. Hester Vermeulen, economist at the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP), explained that when consumer budgets were strained, they tended to limit their spending on high-value items, such as avocados.
Vermeulen noted that cold weather and load-shedding were the main reasons for price increases. BFAP’s data showed that food prices had increased by 11% year-on-year, with staples like vegetables, bread, sugar and dairy showing the biggest gains.
Dr Johnny van der Merwe, managing director of AMT, noted these and other price increases. “Pepper prices increased by 30% during August due to colder weather. Apples, red peppers and pears are expected to continue their upward trend during the year,” he said. Onion prices were, however, on a downward trend, after spiking over the past few months.
Source: farmersweekly.co.za
