This month marks the start of the 2020 South African citrus season that will prove interesting as we navigate the uncharted territory that COVID-19 has presented to us,” says Neil Truter, who manages Quality Assurance and Grower Relations at Vanguard’s South Africa headquarters.
The garlic market is virtually empty. Stocks are very limited and the little that comes in is quickly sold out. In South Africa this is currently resulting in very high prices on the domestic market.
Since 2016, prices have dropped 30% below the average for the past decade, according to the International Coffee Organization, a body representing 49 member countries which export and import coffee.
South Africa imports all of its rice and half of its wheat requirements. We have previously warned of the restrictions placed by countries on agricultural commodity exports, specifically rice and wheat.
Wine producers are confused, angry and despairing about what to try next to ensure job security of a vital yet increasingly shaky agricultural sector. Government’s latest lockdown, starting on 16 April, included an about-turn on wine exports including the transporting of wine from cellar to ports, which were opened under the Disaster Management Act on 7 April.
Avocado bars may have had to close due to the coronavirus, but the demand for avocados has clearly not dropped.
