The price of pineapples has spiked significantly in the past two weeks as South Africans turn to home brewing to counter the alcohol ban imposed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Statistics provided by agriculture information group Agrimark Trends (AMT) showed that pineapples, at fresh produce market prices, were selling at R4.69/kg a month ago.
This increased to R7.32/kg two weeks ago and R8.30/kg a week ago.
AMT MD Dr Johnny van der Merwe said there was also a shift in the volume of pineapples delivered on a weekly basis to markets.
The statistics showed that a month ago, 353,559kg of pineapples were delivered to the markets. This increased to 617,085kg two weeks ago and decreased to 445,904kg a week ago.
Pineapple prices spike as home brewing quenches booze ban thirst
The price of pineapples has spiked significantly in the past two weeks as South Africans turn to home brewing to counter the alcohol ban imposed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Statistics provided by agriculture information group Agrimark Trends (AMT) showed that pineapples, at fresh produce market prices, were selling at R4.69/kg a month ago.
This increased to R7.32/kg two weeks ago and R8.30/kg a week ago.
AMT MD Dr Johnny van der Merwe said there was also a shift in the volume of pineapples delivered on a weekly basis to markets.
The statistics showed that a month ago, 353,559kg of pineapples were delivered to the markets. This increased to 617,085kg two weeks ago and decreased to 445,904kg a week ago.
Van der Merwe said the decrease in the volume of pineapples delivered to markets could be attributed to caution from buyers to hear from Ramaphosa on Sunday whether restrictions on the sale of liquor would be lifted.
“I expect the volumes to go up,” said Van der Merwe, after Ramaphosa announced on Sunday that the liquor ban would remain for the next two weeks.
Van der Merwe said what was interesting is that high prices now are 53% lower than the previous corresponding period last year when there was a long-term alcohol ban.
Statistics provided by AMT showed that in July 2020, pineapples were selling at just more than R14/kg.
The prices were more than R16/kg by January 2021, after the president announced a liquor ban on December 28 to counter the threat posed by the second wave of Covid-19.
Van der Merwe said the spike in prices in July 2020 and January 2021 was directly linked to the alcohol ban and people resorting to home brewing.
TimesLIVE