Maize continues to sell at highest retail prices in the Southern Region, averaging 198 per kilogramme (kg), the International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) has said.

Ifpri data shows that in the Centre, prices averaged K180 per kg while in the North, prices averaged K157 per kg.

Maize prices continue to rise

Reads the Ifpri March 2022 Malawi Monthly Maize Market: “Overall, prices were more stable in the Centre than in the North and South during the month.

“By the end of March 2022, maize retail prices averaged K185 per kg. This is two percent lower than February 2022 and about two percent higher than March 2021.”

But despite the overall decrease, markets at Mpondabwino in Zomba, Bangula in Nsanje, Mitundu in Lilonwge, Chimbiya in Ntcheu, Jenda and Mzimba registered marginal price decrease (0.2 to 2 percent) except Mzimba, which registered a 13 percent increase.

Within the month, maize retail prices varied widely, starting from as a low as K135 per kg in Mzuzu and as high as K230 per kg in Bangula.

Maize, as part of the consumer price index, a measure of price change in a basket of constant quantity and quality of goods and service, contributes 42.5 percent to the inflation basket.

During the month under review, Malawi’s year-on-year headline inflation inched up by 0.9 percentage points to 13 percent from 12.1 percent in January on rising food and non-food prices, fresh data shows.

In his State of the Nation Address on Thursday, President Lazarus Chakwera indicated that despite the country being food-secure at national level, there will be some isolated hotspots of food insufficiency.

In the meantime, the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) 2021 Annual Assessment projects that over 1.6 million people will be food-insecure during the 2021/2022 consumption year.

However, Chakwera said government had already released about 17 000 MT of maize as humanitarian food to be distributed to the affected households, while keeping Admarc markets open for those who need to access more. Meanwhile, as the harvest season sets in government has released new farm-gate prices with maize to sell at K220 per kilogramme.

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