Food prices leave locals in despair

THE price of essential food items has spiked in recent weeks, leaving cash-strapped and Covidbattered locals feeling the pinch.

The January 2021 Household Affordability Index showed basic food items like sugar beans, rice, flour and bread had undergone price hikes of around 31 to 68 per cent. According to data gathered, a food basket for the average South African costs around R4 051.20 more than the minimum wage.

'A basket of 43 basic foods has now breached the level of the national minimum wage, and we know that 60 per cent of South Africans earn at that level,' said Economic Justice and Dignity Group programme director, Mervyn Abrahams.

Economist Dawie Roodt told the ZO that there would be little reprieve for struggling consumers.

'The reality is that it will take years for the South African economy to recover from the impact of Covid-19.

'Soon, we will see economic growth in many sectors, but it should be taken into account that a lot of jobs were lost. It may take around six to seven years to get back to where we were pre-Covid.'

Roodt said that food prices increase, decrease and remain the same for prolonged periods.

'People take little note when the prices remain the same, but they feel the pinch when they increase. I do not predict any more increases in the food prices in the short-term, however, we should see another substantial increase in about 18 months.'

Managing director of agricultural information group Agrimark

Trends (AMT), Dr Johnny van der Merwe said tomatoes had reached a record price of R16.82 per kilogram by mid-March.

This was owing to the high, constant rainfall in the northern parts of South Africa, which caused damage to harvests.

The shortage of supply pushed tomato prices up by 47 per cent in a single week.

Commenting on the situation, Richards Bay resident, Raine Jacobs Pratt said that fresh fruit and vegetables have become too expensive.

'One kilogram of tomatoes sells for R39.99! It's insane. It's cheaper to buy a takeaway these days.'

Another Zululander, Leoni van Loggerenberg, said a basic trolley of food costs around R1 000 more than it used to.

'A trolley of groceries - and

I'm talking about the usual stuff, nothing fancy - about three or four months ago cost around

R2 300. Now that exact trolley costs around R3 100. This excludes buying meat, the price of which has also gone through the roof.'

Another local resident,

Madivan van der Merwe referred to the price hikes as 'daylight robbery'.

'How can food go up 40 to 50 per cent? How do they calculate that?'

The shortage of supply pushed tomato prices up by 47 per cent in a single week