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Welcome back to this week’s AMT Fresh Produce Market Report, brought to you by Villa Crop Protection. Blueberry prices are expected to remain under pressure for the rest of the year but should start improving again during the first four months of next year. We also saw improved demand combined with lower volumes supporting several vegetable markets that have recently been under severe price pressure. All of this in this week’s episode — stay tuned.
Vegetable Market Overview
Potatoes surged by more than 10%, reaching R49.38 per 10 kg.
Tomatoes declined by 4% to R9.28 per kg, following a roughly 10% increase in volumes.
Onions continued their downward trend, dropping 3% to R35.61 per 10 kg.
Carrots moved 3% lower to R3.92 per kg.
Peppers increased by 2% to R13.48 per kg.
Cabbages rose sharply by 9% to R1.50 per kg.
Sweet potatoes climbed more than 12% to R6.53 per kg.
Further increases were seen in:
- Spinach: up 9% to R2.32 per kg
- Butternuts: up 18% to R5.89 per kg
- Pumpkins: up 12% to R4.86 per kg
Garlic, however, moved lower:
- Average garlic price: R39.40 per kg
- Local garlic: R32.83 per kg
- Imported garlic: R68.90 per kg
Other notable movements:
- Green beans: down to R10.35 per kg
- Cucumbers: down to R10.62 per kg
What Drove the Market This Week?
Most vegetable prices strengthened thanks to improved demand, coupled with lower volumes on the market. Exceptions included onions, tomatoes, and carrots, which experienced significant increases in supply and therefore could not benefit from higher demand.
Despite a 14% rise in potato volumes, prices still increased — signalling strong market support.
The expectation is that demand will remain elevated in the coming week, which could help stabilize the overall market.
If there is a specific commodity you’d like us to analyse in next week’s episode, feel free to leave a comment.
Fruit Market Overview
- Bananas: increased to R12.30 per kg, around 11% lower year-on-year
- Apples: decreased to R12.82 per kg
- Pears: declined to R9.56 per kg
Citrus:
- Oranges: jumped to R9.12 per kg
- Lemons: increased to R8.42 per kg
- Naartjies: rose to R13.21 per kg
- Grapefruits: slightly down to R8.77 per kg
Other key markets:
- Avocados: stable at R29.30 per kg
- Table grapes: dropped 20% to R37.41 per kg
- Pineapples: increased to R11.95 per kg
- Blueberries: dropped to R37.53 per kg
- Watermelons: declined to R0.89 per kg
What’s Behind the Fruit Price Movements?
Table Grapes
Table grape prices fell sharply due to an 88% increase in volumes compared to the previous week. Prices are now around 25% lower than a year ago. The season has started very strongly with rapid growth in volumes, and prices are expected to remain under pressure — likely dipping further over the next month.
Blueberries
Blueberries are also under pressure.
- Current market volumes: 2% higher than a year ago
- Prices: 7% lower year-on-year
Volumes should decrease slightly in December, but meaningful price recovery is only expected from mid-January onward. Prices are then likely to trend upward through to April, when they typically peak due to lower expected volumes.
Closing Off
That’s your AMT Weekly Fresh Produce Outlook, made possible by Villa Crop Protection.
Remember to follow AMT on all social media platforms for daily market updates — and we’ll see you again next week with the latest trends from South Africa’s fresh produce markets.