Food prices continue to escalate

Cost of many household items show dramatic rise

WHILE the recent rains are a good sign of things to come for the agricultural sector, food prices continue to increase while others have remained the same.

The price of brown bread has increased by close to R1 a loaf – from R10.99 in December to its new price of R11.89 this month.

Chicken has also increased in price, jumping from R40.90/kg last month to R44.99/kg this month, marking a R4.09/kg increase.

The price of potatoes has increased by R3/kg, going from R13.99/kg last month to R16.99/kg this month.

This, agricultural economist Karabo Takadi had warned last year, is partly due to the ongoing drought which has seen farmers producing less as well as a higher demand over the festive season.

Maize meal, which has remained constant over the last five months, has seen a slight increase from R12.99/kg to R13.99/kg, meaning consumers will now be paying R1/kg more.

Since April, the Saturday Dispatch has charted the prices of eight household items, namely sunflower oil, chicken, bread, milk, eggs, maize meal, potatoes and butternut.

Eggs saw the biggest increase of R6.40 a dozen – going from R22.59 to R28.99 a dozen.

The findings are published on the first Saturday of every month and sourced from three different East London supermarkets.