March 2021 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket: Importation Ban Leads to a 100% Price Increase on Onion

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 Lusaka in the month of March increased to K8, 644.50 from K8, 512.31 in February. This shows an increase of K132.19. The rise in the basket is mainly attributed to increase in the prices of both food and non-food items. From the basic food items, the price of onion increased by K70.66 from K70.75 to K141.41 for 4kg, 40kg of vegetables increased by K47.41 from K444.31 to K491.72.