Grocery basket balances out

SOME went up, some went down, while other food items remained the same price in the June food basket.

Consumers will be pleased to note that the prices of maize meal have indeed decreased, as foreseen by the National Agricultural Market Council earlier this year.

A kilogram of maize meal cost R13.99 in January, but has now dropped to a more affordable R8.99, as the drought releases its hold on crops. May’s price was R9.99. The prices of potatoes, butternut, cooking oil and milk have remained the same when compared with May’s prices, with very little price differences noted in chicken, bread and eggs.

Since last year, the Saturday Dispatch has been monitoring the prices of eight basic food items, namely chicken pieces, milk, brown bread, sunflower oil, eggs, maize meal, butternut and potatoes.

The prices are taken from three different supermarkets:

June prices are as follows:

The price of chicken has increased from R49.90/kg to R49.99/kg, a price increase of 9c;

Potatoes remained the same price, costing R10.99/kg;

Butternut also remained at its May price of R9.99;

Maize meal prices dropped from R9.99 in May to R8.99;

A litre of milk will cost the same as it was in May, at R10.99;

Cooking oil remained at R18.99;

Brown bread increased from R9.99 a loaf to R10.29, an increase of 30c; and

A dozen eggs dropped from R25.98 to R25.90. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za