The price of maize is projected to rise by 60 percent between September 2013 and March 2014, thereby raising the cost of living and making the staple unaffordable to poor households.
The Famine Early Warning System Network (Fewsnet) October 2013 report released projects that the price of the staple will rise by 20 percent by December 2013 and 60 percent by March 2014 from the September 2013 average prices.
Based on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security data, maize prices averaged K114.47 in September and is therefore projected to hit K137.36 per kg in December and average K183.15 per kg before harvest in March next year.
The Fewsnet report has further noted that national average maize prices will likely remain very high in the coming months.
“The current drivers of high maize prices include lingering effects of last year’s localised production shocks, macro-economic instability, and high production costs associated with the current crop being transferred to consumers, limited supplies, and high demand due to low production in some areas. Low national household stocks may also be contributing to higher-than -normal prices as the country moves into the traditional lean period. The slow but steady depreciation of the Malawi kwacha is expected to continue until March 2014, when the next tobacco sales season is expected to start,” reads the report in part.
According to the famine warning network, Malawi experiences food lean period from October to 9 March, but the Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet) argues this can be turned around.
In a telephone interview on Tuesday Cisanet national coordinator Tamani Nkhono-Mvula said to deal with the seasonal lean period in food, the country must deal with post harvest losses and diversify to other food crops.
“Malawians should diversify into growing and consumption of other food crops such as cassava whose harvest can be delayed. We should also rely on irrigation farming and not take the available water for granted,” said Nkhono-Mvula.
Fewsnet in the report notes that total irrigated farming output for 2013 is likely to be below the 550 000 tonnes estimated in June 2013, however, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is in the process of consolidating irrigated maize estimates for the current year.
However, Fewsnet assessment in selected districts suggests that these districts are likely to harvest less production than was projected in the earlier estimate mainly due to the reduced water table as a result of less or erratic rainfall experienced in the last season.
