Ah, the Pineapple. The unsung hero and villain for many in our country. A hero because the fruit royalty allows many to get experimental alcohol-wise, as pineapple exists as a key ingredient in homemade beer-brewing. A villain, because many can get ill from home-brewing ventures if they’re not done properly.
However, if you thought pineapple prices soaring through the ceiling were a thing of the recent past (here’s looking at you, 2020) you might want to think again.
“Pineapple prices increased significantly,” said Johnny van der Merwe, the managing director of Agrimark Trends. This increase is credited to the alcohol bans, according to van der Merwe in his weekly update on fruit and vegetable prices.
Pineapple prices increased by a whopping 74% at R7.32 per kilogram, week-on-week.
The volumes sold increased by 27% week-on-week van der Merwe also tells.
BusinessInsider additionally notes that this increase is likely because some South Africans have decided to become home-brewers, utilising the high yeast and sugary advantages of the pineapple to make alcoholic drinks.
In conversation with BusinessInsider, Deon van Zyl, COO of Grow Fresh Produce notes that if the alcohol prohibition continues beyond this Sunday, prices will likely remain elevated or even rise further.
If you happen to be curious about how the other fruits in the kingdom are doing, Banana prices shot up by 11% to R7.37 per kilogram, apples steadied down and decreased to R6.77 per kilogram, while oranges took us on a whirlwind and increased to R3.09 per kilogram.
The lemon market, however, as van der Merwe expresses, is still under pressure at R3.20 per kilogram.
Avocados on the other hand stayed calm, cool, and collected without increase or decrease at R16.07.
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