Key Highlights

• The Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket (SMEB) has risen across all regions, increasing by 3.2 percent in urban areas, 2.9 percent in the rural Northern Region, 2.9 percent in the rural Central Region, and 2.8 percent in the rural Southern Region. The rise in the SMEB mainly emanates from the rising prices of food commodities including maize, cooking oil, and vegetables.

• The national average price of maize grain increased by 7.7 percent from a monthly average of MK 130 per kg in July 2021 to MK 140 per kg in August 2021. After the harvest, maize stocks gradually deplete due to continued consumption and exportation, resulting in a gradual increase in price. Overall, maize grain prices ranged from MK 95 per to MK 180 per kg in markets across the country.

• The price of beans rose to a national average price of MK 1,001 per kg from MK 987 in the previous month, signifying a 1.4 percent increase.

• Cowpeas and pigeon peas are currently selling at MK 593 per kg and MK 468 per kg, respectively. This represents a 4.2 percent rise in the price of cowpeas and a 0.4 percent increase in price of pigeon peas.

Source: World Food Programme