January 2023 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket: Strategic Government Intervention Required to Reduce the High Cost of Mealie Meal Prices

The cost of living for a family of five as measured by the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) for the month of January 2023 in Lusaka stood at K9, 047.31. This reflects a K64.49 increase from the K8, 982.82 recorded in December, 2022. The upward movement in the basket is attributed to increased prices in food items such as 2 bags of 25kg mealie meal (roller) which went up by K51.28 from K245 (K122.50/25 kg bag) to K296.28 (K148.14/25 kg bag), 2kg chicken which went up by K41.46 from K272.49 (108.99/2kg) to K313.95 (K125.58/2kg), 1kg kapenta which went up by K28.63 from K239.36 (K239.36/1kg) to K267.99 (K267.99/1kg) and 40kg vegetables which went up by K38.06 from K441.96 (K441.96/40 kg) to K480.02 (K480.02/40 kg). The basket, however, recorded notable decreases in food items such as 6kg cassava flour which went down by K44.46 from K109.50 (K18.25/1kg) to K65.04 (K10.84/1kg) and 4kg onion which went down by K37.78 from K117.69 (K29.42/1 kg) to K79.91 (K19.98/1kg).