Potato Shortage South Africa affects potato prices in Namibia

A potato shortage in South Africa has led to potato prices in Namibia shooting up by 25 per cent over the last week. Another 25 per cent price hike is expected this week.

Namibia imports more than 70 per cent of the potatoes consumed locally.

Norbert Shivoro of the Namibian Agronomic Board said he did not expect the current shortage of potatoes in South Africa and Namibia to benefit Namibian producers. He said it took more than four months to grow and harvest potatoes and he did not foresee that Namibian producers would change their planning at this stage.

This price increase is expected to hit the poorest members of society, who rely on potatoes as part of their staple diet, the hardest.