Potato News from South Africa

PepsiCo South Africa has expanded its Isando factory with a new state-of-the-art potato chip production line with ZAR 746 million (USD 40 million) investment.

Equipment manufacturer and food industry supplier Heat and Control celebrates the grand opening of their new office and thirty years of business in Africa.

There are concerns among some economists that the price of frozen potatoes may increase, adding to already high food inflation in South Africa.

McCain Foods Limited, one of South Africa’s leading frozen food manufacturers, has officially opened its Farm of the Future Africa in Lichtenburg, North West, the second of three locations planned by 2025.

South African seed potato producer RegenZ and European hybrid potato seed innovator Solynta announced a partnership to bring hybrid true potatoes to the South African farming community.

With almost 10 billion people to feed by 2050 and food production threatened by declining resources, global food security faces an immense challenge that needs to be addressed.

McCain Foods Limited has unveiled plans for a second Farms of the Future in South Africa, as part of its drive to cut carbon emissions and tackle the impacts of climate change.

Corteva Agriscience launched Zorvec Encantia, a new fungicide that specifically targets late blight, a detrimental pathogen currently compromising potato growth in South Africa. The solution, based on Zorvec active, is the first member of a novel class of fungicides.

The potato industry in South Africa is investing in various technologies to improve its sustainability and is in the process of developing a mobile app to improve communication with members.

Potato tuber moth can be a potato producer’s nightmare. Fortunately, InteliGro’s extremely effective monitoring system not only help to control this pest successfully but allows producers to manage risks and reduce input costs over time.

Anti-dumping tariffs on frozen French fries imported from the Netherlands and Germany have expired, leaving the South African potato industry vulnerable to ‘dumping’.

Potatoes South Africa (PSA) has launched a bold new awareness campaign in a bid to create perspective about the resilience and performance of the potato industry’s stakeholders in the country, especially in the context of South Africa recently marking the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 disruption.

Managing plant health and strict water monitoring have paved the way to success for AL 3 Boerdery in Dendron, Limpopo.

McCain Foods South Africa has appointed Unathi Mhlatyana as its new managing director (MD) effective yesterday. Mhlatyana brings more than 20 years experience in the FMCG industry, having previously been employed in leadership roles with Pepsico and SAB/AB InBev.

Willie Jacobs took over the leadership of Potatoes Potatoes South Africa (PSA) as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) after Dr. André Jooste, who as part of his career planning, left the organization after 9 years.

Key Technology, Inc. and Heat and Control Pty Ltd. announce an extension of their existing strategic partnership, supporting customers in Australia, New Zealand and India, to now include the region of South Africa and Sub-Saharan.

Dr. André Jooste, an agricultural economist who joined Potatoes South Africa eight years ago as chief executive officer, is leaving the organization at the end of the month for personal reasons.

Since mid-June, potato prices have been on average 46% higher than in the same period last year. In four months, the average market price of a 10kg
bag has rocketed from below R35 to R83.