See the ZBT earlier article on mealie meal projections to increase by 60%… https://www.facebook.com/100063674815385/posts/728034849329002/?app=fbl
The mealie meal prices have now been increased by about 30% from between K175 to about K230 per 25kg bag with more increase anticipated due to high cost of production if no tangible measures are taken to address the situation.
A check by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT – in Lusaka with some traders established that mealie meal prices have been increased and now fetching between K212 and K230 per 25kg breakfast bag.
Some commodity traders have told ZBT that new prices came in effect on Monday 26th June, 2023 after millers increased the prices as a result of the recently adjusted maize prices by the Food Reserve Agency – FRA.
Millers have since attributed the recent increment in the price of mealie meal to an increase in the price of maize on the local market.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian business Times – ZBT – some private millers said the increase is obviously because of the increasing commodity prices for the raw material that we use in mealie meal production.
Sources who asked for their names to be withheld said the current market forces are the ones that have determined the commodity prices.
The Food Reserve Agency – FRA – increased maize prices for the 2023/2024 farming marketing season from K180 in the last year to K280 this year a situation which has caused increased cost of production for those in mealie meal production prompting them to increase the prices for them to remain in the game.
Millers have since appealed to Government to ensure that commodity that affect mealie meal production are made promising as it is the only way prices can come down.
“If the prices for maize is high and the market is offering that, what do you expect? We can’t shut down plants but we will buy at what the market is offering so if Government is able to reduce the cost of production then everything reduces but if the cost of production is still high then you don’t expect prices to drop.” Warned some millers.
