Market information is indispensable in facilitating marketing of agricultural produce,
particularly fresh produce given its high perishability. The purpose of this study was to
estimate South African consumers’ demand for vegetables. Demand for six vegetables was
analysed via a multi-stage budgeting system, using data from the Household Expenditure
Survey and the 2010 edition of the Abstract of Agricultural Statistics. The estimated demand
elasticities show that the demand for all vegetables increases with rising per capita income.
Most of the vegetables were found to respond substantially to changes in their own prices and
in the direction as expected with estimated negative own-price elasticities.