Consumers wary as maize prices continue rising

Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) says following the 44 percent kwacha devaluation in November last  year, it has become difficult for consumers to make ends meet as prices of goods, particularly maize, have gone up drastically.

Cama executive director John Kapito said this on Tuesday in reaction to the continued rise in maize price, which has peaked at K1 000 per kilogramme (kg) as most farmers continue withholding stocks due to uncertainties surrounding rainfall, according to International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri).

The new price is K400 above the government set minimum of K600 per kg.

“As the cost of living escalates, the incomes remain low and depleted and maize is which the country’s staple food is beyond reach of many,” said Kapito.

He called on authorities to intervene so that the situation does not go out of hand.

The Ifpri maize market report said on average, maize was selling at a retail price of K859 per kg or K42 950 per 50 kg bag in the last week of December, which is 13 percent more than the price in the last week of November at K762 per kg or K38 100 per 50kg bag.

In contrast to the previous year when the market saw a two percent decrease during the same period, this year has seen a notable shift, according to the report.

Reads the report in part: “Traders indicate that the current increase in prices, occurring typically when they procure from farmers, is attributed to most farmers withholding stocks due to uncertainties surrounding rainfall.

“Consequently, wholesale maize has become scarce while demand remains high.”

Despite the country experiencing a considerable price increase during the last week of December 2023, the Southern Region recorded the highest monthly average retail price of K897 per kg, with Dyeratu Market in Chikwawa District recording the highest weekly average retail price of K1 000 per kg.

Maize is an important crop to the country’s economy and as part of food component, accounting for about 53.7 percent to the Consumer Price Index, an aggregate basket of goods and services used in computing inflation.

Maize prices have recently been on a steady rise and this has been a contributing factor to a continuous rise in inflation which is at a 10-year high of 33.1 percent.

The current maize prices are the highest when compared to the previous five years from 2023, according to a fresh assessment by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network and confirmed by the Centre for Social Concern (CfSC).

The average cost of living has been rising sharply in recent months, a development CfSC attributes to the kwacha devaluation effected in November last year.

Last week, Admarc general manager Dan Makata expressed optimism that the opening of the markets would stabilise the mazie prices. navZomba Malosa legislator Grace Kwelepeta (Democratic Progressive Party) has urged people in her constituency to grow sweet potatoes to diversify their crop production.

She said this on Monday at Saidi Village in Senior Chief Malemia in Zomba District when she distributed sweet potato vines.

Kwelepeta said she used K5 million from the Constituency Development Fund to buy the vines.

She said she targeted people who were affected by Cyclone Freddy in March 2023.

Said Kwelepeta: “The same farmers are also in danger of being affected by dry spell as forcast by the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services which may affect maize production.

“Potatoes are drought resistant; hence encouraging farmers to grow the crop.”

Malosa agriculture extension officer Alex Jangiya said sweet potatoes take between 85 and 120 days to mature.

He advised the farmers to manage weeds within their fields to boost production.

“Weeds can compete with potato plants for light, water and nutrients that may lower yields,” said Jangiya.

Julius Kasitomu, who benefitted from the vines, said the maize he planted is not performing well due to lack of fertiliser.

“It is obvious I will not harvest enough for my family. That is why I thank the parliamentarian for supporting us with the vines. I will work hard to register better yields,” he said.

Last year, Cyclone Freddy-induced floods washed away people’s crops, which created food shortage among the affected households in the district.