Just ginger costs an arm and a leg

When you go out to the shop today you're in for a big surprise. The price of ginger has increased by as much as 300%.

This is because of an international shortage of the root, which is used in food and as medicine.

Pieter Kotze, import manager for Golden Harvest, ships between 150 and 200 tons of ginger into South Africa annually.

He said ginger comes mainly from Limpopo and Mpumalanga, but the season ends in mid-December and starts in April.

To meet local demand, which is highest in Durban, the company imports ginger from China, Thailand and Brazil.

"The price has risen from last year until now by 300%. They had lots of rain, which washed out half of the crop," said Kotze.

His first shipment from China is set to arrive in Cape Town in the middle of next month.

Anthony Brown, Pick n Pay's general manager for fresh food, said the chain is selling ginger at R99/kg, but said there were regional price variations.

"We are out of stock in some of our stores.

"Our buyers are working hard to source fresh ginger at the best possible prices, but there is no clear indication when the situation will be resolved," Brown said.

Sarita van Wyk, spokesman for Shoprite Checkers, said they are selling ginger at R129/kg.

"The availability will improve when crops from Hoedspruit become available from March, and perhaps even before that with imports ordered by traders soon arriving from China," said Van Wyk.

Woolworths and Food Lover's Market reported that they are not experiencing shortages.

At Woolworths, loose ginger is R149.99/kg.

Depending on quality and availability, ginger usually costs between R49.99 and R89.99/kg.