Maravi

JCTR advises govt to address increasing mealie-meal prices

JCTR advises govt to address increasing mealie-meal prices
Written by Kabanda Chulu and Florence Bupe
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 8:52:38 AM

JESUIT Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) social conditions programme officer Miniva Chibuye has asked government to address the continued increases in mealie-meal prices as they were posing a challenge to household food security.

And Chibuye has called for an immediate response to the persistent inadequacy of basic needs by ensuring that the new government creates an environment where production of food is enhanced.

Releasing the monthly basic needs food basket, Chibuye stated the cost of mealie-meal has continued to increase in most towns across Zambia.

“The average price for a 25 kilogramme bag of breakfast mealie-meal in Lusaka increased by K3, 700 from K50, 700 in September 2008 to K54, 400 at the end of October 2008. In essence, mealie-meal prices have increased by 49.9 per cent since January 2008 when the average cost for a 25 kilogramme bag of the preferred breakfast meal was K36, 300,” Chibuye stated.

“Food prices are normally affected by how much is available on the market. Therefore, the increases in mealie-meal prices can be indicative of reduced maize stocks within the rural areas. Since maize meal is eaten as a staple food by the majority of households in Zambia, availability and affordability of the crop is cardinal to food security.”

She stated that limited consumption of maize meal would lead to serious consequences such as malnutrition in children and lower contribution to well being in adults.

“Hunger is one of the major impediments to the process of development, the urgent necessity to respond to this issue cannot be overemphasised, further more, the strong interrelationship between hunger and HIV and AIDS poses a big threat to both human life and livelihoods,” Chibuye stated.

She challenged government to immediately assess the adequacy of maize stocks in the country so that a decision can be made if the commodity must be imported.

“As an immediate response, there is need for a thorough examination of the adequacy of maize stocks in the country on which basis a decision should be made, especially if it involves importing. In the longer term, there should be more investment in establishing irrigation facilities for small-scale farmers to ensure increased agriculture production,” stated Chibuye.

The overall cost of food items in Lusaka for the month of October shows a significant increase of K29,750 from K656,600 in September to K686,350 in October.

Food price increases were also recorded in items such as cooking oil, dry fish, bread, sugar, tomatoes and onions. However, insignificant reductions ranging between K100 and K500 were recorded in beans, sugar, eggs and vegetables.

Further offsetting the increase in select food prices were reductions in a kilogramme of Kapenta by K4,500 from K41,300 in September to K38,300 in October, and a kilogramme of vegetables by K2,100 from K5,300 in September to K3,200 in October 2008.

However, the JCTR Satellite Homes research, a qualitative study in selected high density areas in Lusaka, continued to reveal that the total cost of food items is unaffordable to most households. When costs for transport, education, energy, housing, wash and bath soap were added, the challenge even became bigger.

Labels: INFLATION, JCTR, MEALIE-MEAL

posted by MrK @ 8:54 AM