SIMPLE ARITHMETIC

 
 
Relax. I’m not about to give a lesson in arithmetic but I hope to show with a few simple
calculations what a huge role the fresh produce markets can play in feeding the nation. Let’s start
with a few basic facts.
We have 19 markets in this country and collectivity they handled over three million tons of fruit
and vegetables for the period July 2009 to June 2010. Our population is reputed to be at 45
million people, give or take a few million before we get the latest census figures. Not all of the 45
million eat fruit and veggies – after all, some are babies and there are a few crazies who don’t eat
fruit or vegetables. So let’s bring that figure down to a nice round 40 million (easier to calculate)
for the purposes of this article.
The first sum we do is to establish what the average consumption per person per annum for
fresh produce via the markets will be. (I can see the statisticians starting to cringe at this point).
My trusty calculator tells me it should be 75 kg/person/annum. Unfortunately we don’t have any
statistics for fresh produce supplied direct by farmers to supermarkets and others but let’s add
another 75kg which gives a total of 150kg per person per annum. Using potatoes as a benchmark
we find the average national consumption hovering around 36kg per annum, while internationally
consumption in excess of 200kg is common in a number of countries.
I don’t know if any international statistics exist for total consumption of all fresh produce but 150kg
sounds modest to me when potatoes alone can be in excess of 200kg. If every one of those 40
million South Africans should increase consumption by only 25kg each/annum to 200kg it would
add another 1 000 000 tons to total annual consumption. It’s an improvement but remains a
modest figure.
My point? In this country we still have a long way to go to where our average consumption of
fresh produce can be rated as satisfactory or even good – whatever that number might be. To
reach commendable levels won’t come from waving a magic wand but rather from a lot of effort
and investment in promoting our products.
A big plus in our favour is the tremendous range of health benefits offered by fresh fruit and
vegetables. There are no other products on this planet that offer us so much goodness and the
world has come to appreciate this. On-going research from every conceivable angle continues
to confirm what our mothers and grandmothers always said to us, “eat your veggies”. They didn’t
need scientists and doctors to tell them that fruit and veggies were good for their families – their
natural instincts as mothers told them that!
The worldwide 5-A-Day for Better Health initiative wants us to eat a minimum of five portions of
fruit and vegetables every day. In some countries they’ve increased that number to 10 portions
and more. Backed by solid research they’ve come up with these guideline numbers to induce us
to eat more fresh produce so that we can be healthier people. That is commendable stuff.
On the local scene we – the fresh produce sector – are faced by massive financial muscle from
the junk food sector which invests many millions in promoting their products. Fresh produce
simply does not have that kind of financial backing for promotion.
There will always be the natural increase in consumption from a growing population and let’s
hope our farmers can keep up with it. But that alone won’t take fresh produce consumption up to
the levels where it should be.
You may ask why does the Government not help to promote fresh produce consumption? It
makes sense when one considers the potential benefits of a healthier nation against existing
crippling medical costs. I agree, Government should make the effort but the question is, how?
One answer is to invest in the country’s fresh produce markets with upgraded infrastructures,
trained personnel, skilled managers and independent management. In other words, do what
governments are supposed to do: supply the infrastructure and let business people get on with
doing the job.
It would need a very large document to put forward all the ways and means for promoting the
consumption of fresh produce in this country. Those in the fresh produce sector can make their
contribution through good service and offering products at value-for-money prices.
And let’s hope the numbers from my simple arithmetic are converted into solid consumption
improvements of fresh fruit and vegetables