According to Clive Garrett, marketing manager of ZZ2, consumers can expect shortages for the next week or two. 

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Garrett shares that the lack of tomatoes and other vegetables have resulted in price increases.

He adds that the price of tomatoes is mainly determined by the national fresh produce markets and prices are made based on supply and demand and because we’re experiencing tomato shortages, prices have increased.

Garrett further explains that excess rain in January and February in areas producing tomatoes and other leafy vegetables, damaged plants and also contributed to an infestation of insects as well as resulted in people not being able to enter their fields to pick and plant tomatoes.

The majority of tomato farmers are located in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, with some production from the Western and Eastern Cape.

Other reports of vegetables that is experiencing a shortage include cabbage, broccoli and carrots.

Despite this, Garrett says that they are thankful for the rain, “We’ve just come out of a devastating drought, and so we welcome the rain. Yes, there is a shortage of some products at the moment. But what bodes well is that we’re going to have very good crops throughout the winter.

“So, as farmers, we’re very grateful for the rain that we’ve received,” he further adds.

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