Mealie meal prices hits K400 per bag
The locals in the Nakonde District of the Muchinga Province are feeling the pinch as the prices of mealie meal and maize grain continue to rise in the country.
According to the District Prices for Selected Products report for February 2024 obtained by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, from the government’s statistics Agency Zamstat, a 25kg bag of breakfast mealie meal costs K380 (about K400) in Nakonde, showing a difference of about K150 when compared to Monze district with the lowest prices of breakfast mealie meal at K230 per 25kg bag.
This means that Nakonde residents are paying more for a 25 kg bag of mealie meal than those in Monze are paying for.
Meanwhile, the report also notes that on a monthly basis, the national average price of a 25 kg bag of breakfast mealie meal has increased by 6.46 percent, from K292.09 to K310.97.
The price of a 25 kg bag of roller mealie meal also increased by 7.77 percent, from K244.44 to K263.44. Similarly, the monthly national average price of a 20-litre tin of maize grain increased by 8.12 percent, from K159.84 to K172.82.
On an annual basis, the prices of mealie meal and maize grain have increased even more significantly. Between February 2023 and February 2024, the national average price of a 25 kg bag of breakfast mealie meal increased by 57.98 percent, from K196.84 to K310.97.
The price of a 25 kg bag of roller mealie meal increased by 61.84 percent, from K162.78.19 to K263.44. The annual national average price of a 20-litre tin of maize grain increased by 76.74 percent, from K97.78 to K172.82.
These rising prices are causing concern for many Zambian consumers, who are struggling to afford basic food items