JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – The price of potatoes fell by 11 percent in November, easing the burden on South African households, according to the latest Household Affordability Index report released by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD).
However, the overall cost of food remains high, with frozen chicken and various fruits becoming more expensive.
Potatoes
A 10kg bag of potatoes now costs R130.02, down from R145.31 in October. However, compared to R60.35 in November 2022, the price has more than doubled.
The decrease in potato prices is due to the fact that farmers have been able to harvest more potatoes due to favorable weather conditions, which has increased supply.
Frozen chicken
A 10 kilogram bag of frozen chicken now costs R400.60, up from R384.65 in October. The price increase is due to higher input costs such as feed and transportation.
PMBEJD reports that frozen chicken is becoming a more expensive alternative to fresh chicken, whose prices have also risen in recent months.
Other foodstuffs
The price of eggs increased by 18% or R29.73 in November. A carton of 30 eggs now costs R162.10.
In November, the price of oranges increased by 31%, tomatoes by 20% and apples by 10%.
On the other hand, the price of onions fell by 24% or R32.82 in November. A 10 kg bag of onions now costs R106.53.
The price of rice increased by only 1% in November compared to October after months of high volatility.
Household and personal hygiene items
The household and personal hygiene items index fell by just R6.17 (-0.6%) in November.
However, on an annualized basis, it rose by 10.9% or R97.22. This brought the average cost of these items to R999.88.
Household and personal hygiene items are products that are essential for basic hygiene, but these products also compete with basic foodstuffs.
Regional variations
In November, food basket prices decreased in Johannesburg and Cape Town, while they increased in Durban, Springbok and Pietermaritzburg.
In Johannesburg, food purchases were R98.60 (-1.8%) cheaper than the previous month, while in Cape Town they were R14.27 (-0.3%) cheaper.
Shopping prices in Durban were R92.08 (1.8%) higher than the previous month. Shopping prices in Springbok and Pietermaritzburg increased by R115.93 (2.1%) and R115.53 (2.3%) respectively.
At the same time last year (November), food basket prices also increased in all of these regions.
Conclusion
The fall in potato prices has come as a relief to South African households, but overall food costs remain high. Rising input costs have put upward pressure on the prices of many basic food items.