South Africa: Markets Sell 76 Million 10-kg Potato Bags in 37 Weeks as Limpopo Volumes Fall 19%
Key takeaways
- 76,014,089 bags of 10 kg were sold in the first 37 weeks
- 2,232,874 more bags were sold than the five-year average
- 19% fewer bags came from Limpopo than a year earlier
- 38% more bags were sold from the Northern Cape region
Why it matters
- For farmers
- Focus on grading and Class 1 share: in the report, the region with the highest Class 1 share also earned the best price among the main regions.
- For traders
- Spread purchasing across regions: Northern Cape, North West and Free State volumes are rising while Limpopo is 19% below last year.
60-second summary
South Africa is not short of potatoes this season, even with its biggest producing region lagging. Figures from the industry body show 76.0 million bags of 10 kg traded on fresh produce markets over the first 37 weeks, roughly 2.2 million above the five-year norm. Limpopo, which supplies 45% of market sales, delivered 19% less than in 2025, yet the Northern Cape (+38%), North West (+22%) and Western Free State (+6%) more than covered the gap. The year-to-date price averages R50.75 per bag, below the R66.19 paid in the week to 11 September. Growers should note the quality premium: Limpopo combined an 84% Class 1 share with the best price of the four main regions. Wholesalers and retailers can plan on broad regional supply. One caution applies: all figures come from a single weekly industry commentary, with no independent market data to confirm them yet.
Fresh produce markets in South Africa have sold more potatoes than usual this year. According to Potatoes South Africa, the markets sold 76,014,089 bags of 10 kg in the first 37 weeks of 2026. That is 2,232,874 bags more than the five-year average.
The average price so far this year is R50.75 per 10-kg bag. In the week to 11 September, the average price was R66.19 per bag. This was 1% higher than in the previous week. The number of bags sold rose 14% week on week.
Regions move in different directions
Limpopo remains the largest supplier. It accounts for 45% of sales on the fresh produce markets. However, Limpopo sold 19% fewer bags than in the first 37 weeks of 2025. Its volume is 1,150,914 bags below the five-year average. Its potatoes fetched an average of R66.11 per 10 kg.
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Other regions filled the gap. Sales from the Western Free State rose 6%. The Northern Cape sold 38% more bags, and North West sold 22% more. KwaZulu-Natal added 16%. Sales fell in several other regions: Eastern Cape by 41%, Ceres by 17%, South Western Free State by 9% and Sandveld by 5%.
Quality and prices
Quality was generally good in August. Class 1 potatoes made up 76% of market sales. Class 2 made up 17%, and classes 3 and 4 made up 7%. Seven of the 14 regions kept a Class 1 share above 70%.
Prices differed by region. Limpopo had a Class 1 share of 84%. The Western Free State had 73% and an average price of R62.13 per 10 kg. The Northern Cape had 51% and an average of R61.66. The Eastern Free State averaged R59.79.
Why it matters
National supply is above average, even though the largest region delivers less. Growth in the Northern Cape, North West and Free State has kept the markets well stocked. Among the four largest regions, Limpopo had both the highest Class 1 share and the highest price.
For growers, this makes grading and quality a key part of income. Buyers can expect steady volumes from several regions. The latest week showed a small 1% price rise, while volumes grew faster.
Photo: A potato harvest (not South Africa) (illustrative). David Edwards / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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What next
The industry body publishes weekly market comments. The next reports will show whether the 1% weekly price rise continues as volumes grow.
Sources
- Potatoes South Africa, Weekly Market Comment 11 September 2026 — https://www.potatoes.co.za/wp-content/uploads/Weekly-market-comment-_11-September-2026.pdf
- Potatoes South Africa (news page) — https://www.potatoes.co.za/potatoes-weekly-market-comment-11-september-2026/
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