Prices of staple foods skyrocket in Maputo

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Prices of staple foods skyrocket in Maputo

2:00 CAT | 28 Mar 2016

O País

Food prices continue to rise across the country. In Maputo, poor supply of food to the Zimpeto wholesale market is fuelling expectations of even higher prices in the near future.

Zimpeto market, which supplies the retail markets in Maputo, is receiving far less food than normal because of the drought, which is also affecting South Africa, source of much of the food consumed in Mozambique.

As a result, basic consumer products have risen significantly, in some cases by as much as 100 percent. For example, a box of tomatoes previously costing 220 and 250 meticais now sells for 700 meticais. A 25 kg bag of rice has gone up from 600 meticais to 900 meticais, 10 kg of potatoes from 250 to more than 300 meticais and 10 kg of onions from 180 to 250.

Latest Ministry of Industry and figures show edible oil prices rising 7 percent, maize flour 5 percent, imported rice 3 percent and imported onions and fish 2 percent in Maputo. In Beira, tomato prices increased by 80 percent, onions by 14 percent, imported potatoes by 7 percent and butter beans by 5 percent. In Nampula, tomato went up 77 percent, onions 18 percent, potato 4 percent and imported potatoes 3 percent in the week before Easter.

The depreciation of the metical against the dollar and the rand is another contributing factor. Central Bank data shows the Mozambican currency continuing to slide, with predictable consequences for the future.

Source: O País