Newsletter / Nuusbrief

August / Augustus 2018:ഀ Market Commentary / Markkommentaar

Introduction: Fromഀ January to the end of August this year (2018) sales on markets were 2%ഀ higher on markets than the same time last year (2017), but prices were 9%ഀ higher than the same time last year.

Inleiding: Vanafഀ Januarie tot einde Augustus vanjaar (2018) is 2% meer verkoop op markteഀ as dieselfde tyd verlede jaar (2017), maar pryse was 9% hoër as dieഀ ooreenstemmende tydperk.

Potato leaf miner research results

Theഀ origins of potato leaf mining after winter is one of the aspects on whichഀ research is currently being carried out. After a season's research atഀ Roodeplaat (where winter is cold) it was found that pupae in and on theഀ soil of old fields could be the source of infestation in a new season.ഀ The research also showed that the deeper the pupae are buried, the lessഀ they are able to crawl out of the soil. If pupae occur 16 cm belowഀ ground, they are unable to crawl out of the soil.  (We willഀ keep you updated with further research results.)

Photos:ഀ D Visser, ARC-VOP

Factsheet - Irrigation of potatoes / Besproeiing vanഀ aartappels

Theഀ Fact Sheet Irrigation of potatoes / Besproeiing van aartappels will beഀ available from 21ഀ September 2018. Although the potato is one of the cropsഀ that most effectively convert water into food, the plants are sensitiveഀ to water shortages from the time when the tubers are initiated,ഀ throughout the growing season until the fully-grown tubers are harvested.ഀ Over irrigation, on the other hand, is also not desirable becauseഀ valuable water drains away, expensive nutrients leach from the root zoneഀ and the quality of the harvested product can be adversely affected.ഀ Consequently, producers must have the necessary knowledge in order toഀ decide when to irrigate, and how much to irrigate to produce the highestഀ yield of quality potatoes. In addition, it is important that theഀ irrigation system be optimally designed so that electricity is usedഀ efficiently to keep the cost of irrigation under control and so thatഀ water is applied optimally to promote the responsible use thereof. 

Potatoes have HEART & can back it up too...

Septemberഀ is Heart Awareness Month. The month is dedicated to raising awarenessഀ about cardiovascular disease in South Africa and culminates on Worldഀ Heart Day on the 29th of September. Heart Awareness Month has long been aഀ platform for raising awareness about heart disease and highlighting theഀ importance of a healthy lifestyle and appropriate treatment. This year,ഀ 2018, sees Potatoes South Africa being part & parcel of theഀ celebrations and doing a lot to promote potatoes as part of the Heartഀ & Stroke Foundation South Africa’s healthy eating plan. Potatoes,ഀ when prepared & consumed in a healthy manner, i.e. baked, boiledഀ and/or steamed with skins on as the starchy part of a meal, potatoesഀ contain a host of macro- and micro-nutrients that are indispensable toഀ optimal heart health. They provide good amounts of fibre, chromium,ഀ vitamin C and potassium that may be equal to and sometimes higher thanഀ that found in other fresh produce. Let’s talk potassium power, heartഀ health and potatoes…   Watchഀ video

Kicking off the new FY with an advertising bang!

Forഀ a good five-week period, potatoes & Potatoes SA were the heart andഀ soul of every Monday morning television viewing on In &ഀ Uit Kosblik. The focus of the programme is on healthy mealsഀ and lunch boxes for the whole family. Heleenഀ Meyer is an independent food consultant and aims to inspire,ഀ encourage and teach viewers about making healthy food choices a way ofഀ life through her show on KykNet’sഀ Die Groot Ontbyt. Potatoes South Africa’s involvement was wellഀ timed and laid a strong marketing foundation to kickstart the newഀ financial year.

Potatoes abroad: Spotlight on potato farming business inഀ East Africa
ഀ Source: CNBCAfrica

Potatoesഀ are a major food and cash crop in East Africa but widely grown byഀ small-scale farmers. Over the past few years production of this crop hasഀ doubled. In the following conversation Dr. Paul Demo, Regional Directorഀ for Africa at the International Potato Center shares insights on thisഀ increased production and the opportunities in potato farming.

Potato farmer's positive message goes viral

Source:ഀ AgriOrb
ഀ
ഀ A video of Solly Ratjomane's positive message to farmers of all races,ഀ posted on the AgriOrb Facebook page, went viral. Ratjomane is aഀ commercial potato farmer who shared his success story at the 5th Potatoesഀ SA Transformation Symposium. He started out as a small-scale farmer withഀ only 1,5ha of potatoes, which he expanded to 100ha of potatoes on aഀ diversified farm of 1 430ha. He said at the symposium that hisഀ relationship with farmers in his region during the 1980s helped him toഀ get where he is today. He encouraged white and black farmers to takeഀ hands and farm together in peace and prosperity. The video was watchedഀ approximately 4 800 times and shared and liked nearly 200 times.

Request for public comments on the Mauritius Bill for theഀ Use of Pesticides on Potatoes

Theഀ ministry of Agro-Industry & Food Security Mauritius has revised theഀ the use of pesticides bill (No. VI of 2018). The main object of the Billഀ is to regulate, control and monitor the importation and use of pesticidesഀ in or on certain fresh fruits, plants, seeds or vegetables with theഀ intention to minimize risks to human health and the environment.

PLEASEഀ NOTE! The Bill is out for public comment. The closing date for commentsഀ is 29 September 2018.

Clickഀ here for a summaryഀ of the Bill...

Size distribution of potatoes sold on markets

Potatoesഀ size distribution on all markets: Class1, 10 kg bags (August of each yearഀ 2016 to 2018). Large potatoes for 2016 was at 29% and increased to 32%ഀ for 2017 and increased even further to 34% for 2018. Medium size potatoesഀ for 2016 was at 60% but dropped to 58% in 2017 and dropped even furtherഀ to 55% for 2018. Small and baby potatoes represented a total of 12% in 2016, droppedഀ to 10% in 2017 and slightly increased to 11% in 2018.

Average weekly prices

Averageഀ weekly prices and volumes sold on selected markets for selectedഀ production regions for 27 to 31 August 2018.

Cultivar prices realised on different markets

Comparativeഀ prices provided for Tshwane Market, JoBurg Market, Durban Market and Capeഀ Town Market over the period August 2016 to August 2018 per 10kgഀ bag for Class 1 Large, Class 1 Large/Medium and Class 1 Medium potatoes.

PSA Regionalഀ Management

Eugene Strydom (acting): Limpopo

Enrike Verster: Eastern Freeഀ State; Gauteng; Mpumalanga & Marble Hall

Herman Haak: Western Free State; North West; South Western Freeഀ State;  

                           Northernഀ Cape

Louis Pretorius: KwaZulu-Natal; Northഀ Eastern Cape

Terence Brown: Sandveld; Ceres; Southern Cape; Eastern Cape; South Western
ഀ                               ഀ Cape

Potatoes South Africa

Followഀ this link for information on events and meetings on the PSA calendar

Potatoes SA | Potatoഀ Certification Service| Plantovita | Prokonഀ |  Agbiz | Agriculturalഀ Writers

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