Tough Q1 for consumers (The Nation)

The Nation (Malawi) published an article examining the National Statistical Office’s analysis which showed that food prices rose and continued to push up inflation. Maize, as part of the food component, accounts for about 45.2 percent of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is an aggregate basket of goods and services for computing inflation. Ironically, prices of maize, the country’s staple food, has been on the decline with published figures from the IFPRI, indicate that at an average of K181 per kilogramme (kg), retail maize prices fell by three percent in March and were 44 percent lower than in March 2020.