Agriculture
Consumers forced to adapt diets as meat/chicken prices surge─── SABRINA DEAN 14:26 Wed, 31 Aug 2016
Bloemfontein - Consumers have come under tremendous pressure this year with the price of the basic food basket up more than 16% year-on-year in June.
Agricultural economist, Dr Kobus Laubscher, says according to data released by the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), consumers paid just under R610 for the 23 items in the basic food basket in June this year. He says certain goods showed even more dramatic increases.
“Sharp year-on-year increases in beef cuts and frozen chicken portions – where the prices increased by 71% and 59% respectively – mean that consumers have had to adapt the meat part of their diets.
“Maize meal in 5kg package sizes and the price of potatoes also went up by more than 40% in the same period.”
He says on the upside, the June basket was slightly cheaper than in May. However, the price of most basic foods remains high and is likely to lead to a tightening of the belt by consumers.
OFM News
Consumers forced to adapt diets as meat/chicken prices surge:
