Potatoes South Africa Innovation Symposium 2025

The Potatoes South Africa Innovation Symposium, held on 23–24 July 2025 at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, serves as a national platform to transition the South African potato sector away from "the way it's always been done" and towards future-oriented innovation that enhances resilience, value, and relevance.

Key themes include reducing input costs through smarter decision-making, improving crop health and soil resilience, and increasing the actual and perceived value of potatoes through sustainable branding, traceability, and supply‑chain reforms.

South Africa boasts over 51,000 ha of potato fields, producing around 2.5 million tonnes annually at an average yield of 49 t/ha—higher than many European benchmarks Potatoes. However, rising input costs, stricter regulations on crop protection, water use, biosecurity, and labour pressures are squeezing profitability.

The industry has historically leaned on incremental improvements, often driven by input suppliers promising better seed or inputs. Real innovation will require re-imagining farming models—such as branded potatoes tied to soil-health practices, predictive pest management, shared risk‑reward frameworks, and new royalty-based supply chains for unique varieties.

The event is designed for producers, researchers, suppliers, policymakers, and innovators, and is positioned as more than just a conference—it’s a catalyst for rethinking success in potato production and investment in meaningful change.

The symposium aims to spark fresh thinking and collaborative strategies focused on creating value over volume, and is described by Potatoes SA’s former research & innovation manager as a call to action: evolve, innovate, and enable the future of potato farming in South Africa.