Higher food costs pinch SA households

Picture: Eric Vidal

Picture: Eric Vidal

Published Oct 16, 2015

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Durban - Buying food appeared to be last on the list of many households because it was one of the few expenses that could be controlled, said an alarming report released in Pietermaritzburg yesterday.

Many households were left without food by the second or third week of the month.

The report was compiled by Julie Smith and Mervyn Abrahams of the Pietermaritzburg Agency for Community Social Action (Pacsa).

It looked at the prices of 36 basic food items, from September last year until last month, from six different retailers that served the low-income market.

The report said households prioritised the payment of transport, education, electricity, burial insurance and the repayment of debt before food.

Debt was incurred to cover food shortfalls and, since it was a continuous expense, households were becoming trapped in a debt spiral.

The food basket had increased by R66.10, from R1 550.87 last year to R1 616.97.

The highest level of inflation was on the core staple foods and the lower quality proteins, which households had to buy to get a level of energy and nutrition.

Last year maize meal cost 14.4% less; white sugar (10kg), 6.7% less; rice (10kg) 6.3% less; and salt (1kg) 9.7% less.

“When staple foods increase in price they reduce the money available for other foods resulting in the loss of diversity on the plate. This has implications for health, well-being and productivity,” said the report.

Among the findings was that it cost a mother 7.9% more last month than it did in November last year to provide sandwiches for her teenage child for a month. Polony increased by 18.2% and margarine, 23.5%.

Households were underspending on food by 55.6%. While the cost of a basic nutritional food basket for a household of seven was R3 644.09, only R1 616.97 was being spent per month.

The report highlighted that incomes needed to be increased so families could be supported at a basic level of dignity.

“The key to dealing with the current food affordability crisis and getting households out of the cycle of poverty, inequality and indebtedness lies in finding ways to substantially increase income levels.

“While we do need to ensure food prices, particularly of our staple foods, are affordable, cheaper food, which is often poorer quality food, is not the answer.”

Most South Africans were unable to achieve their “full humanity” because the affordability crisis found households unable to secure a range of nutritious, sufficient and diverse foods.

THE MERCURY

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