An excerpt from an article by Dirk Uys of Potatoes South Africa, reporting on the 2025 Potatoes SA Innovation Symposium’s vision for climate adaptation, consumer trust, and long-term sustainability.
The South African potato industry is no stranger to technological advancements. The question is, how do we move from the mindset of ‘doing it how it has always been done’ to evolving, innovating, and enabling the future of potato production?
This topic will be the central theme of the Potatoes SA Innovation Symposium on 23 and 24 July at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria. The event will serve as a platform to review the latest research, explore disruptive opportunities, and develop enablers for a more resilient potato industry, writes Dirk Uys of Potatoes South Africa in this article published by the trade magazine CHIPS.
According to Uys, South African potato producers operate in an increasingly complex environment. The industry faces escalating input costs and tighter legislation regulating, among others, crop protection, water use, biosecurity, and labour.
The question is whether these pressures offer an opportunity to innovate or not. Can we evolve beyond reactive plans to treat symptoms with costly inputs, or rather focus on enabling healthier crops and production systems that respond to both environmental needs and consumer demands?
South Africa’s potato industry compares well with the best in the world, with over 51 000 ha planted to potatoes annually. The average South African potato yield of 49 t/ha compares favourably to that of countries such as Australia and the United States, often outperforming many European countries.
It is also important to highlight that potatoes contribute substantially to local food security as well as the informal economy via potato traders in townships and street food entrepreneurs. GG Alcock, a well-known author who writes extraordinary stories about kasi businesses in South Africa, estimates that the kota industry alone generates R12 billion per year (around US$682 million).
(The kota industry in South Africa refers to a vibrant, largely informal fast-food sector built around the kota — a township street food that has become both a cultural staple and a multi-million Rand business in its own right. Editor)
With production costs averaging R240 000/ha (about US$13,600) for fields under irrigation, one understands why many potato producers are becoming more concerned about the risk associated with climate variability and demanding consumers. Break-even prices are tightening and the margin for error is shrinking.
According to agricultural technology thought leader, Dan Schultz, the greatest barrier to innovation in potato production is not funding or access to technology – it is the inertia of tradition. It is time to imagine new ways of creating and capturing value by considering new possibilities.
The Symposium seeks to respond to these challenges and invites all stakeholders to help shape strategies that innovate for value, and not only volume.
Key areas of focus include reducing input costs through smarter decision-making which includes avoiding unnecessary ‘just-in-case’ applications and increasing the perceived and actual value of potatoes by reviewing new production practices and improving consumer interest.
The 2025 Potatoes SA Innovation Symposium is not just an industry event. It is a catalyst for new thinking and a place to converse, challenge, and connect. We invite producers, researchers, suppliers, policymakers, and innovators to join us to redefine what success looks like. Join us as we evolve, innovate, and enable the future of potato farming in South Africa.
Source: CHIPS. This is an excerpt of the original article – read the full article here
Author: Dirk Uys, research and innovation manager, Potatoes SA
Image: Credit South Africa Online