News / National
Mealie-meal price goes up
28 Jan 2014 at 04:21hrs | Views
The price of mealie-meal on the local market has marginally increased by an average of 3 to 5 percent in the past few weeks.
It has emerged that most retailers have increased the price of mealie-meal from an average of US$5,60 to US$5,80 for a 10kgs bag of roller meal while a 10 kgs bag of Pearlenta is now selling at an average of US$7,15 up from US$6,90.
Surprisingly, the marginal increase in the price of mealie-meal comes at a time the country is slowly sliding into the deflation mode, following the continued decline in the month-on-month inflation rate.
Annual inflation for December 2013 plunged to an all time low of 0,33 percent after shedding 0,21 percentage points from 0,54 percent last November.
Meanwhile, consumers say the marginal increase is unjustified, arguing that any upward adjustment in the price of the basic commodity will be a burden on the buyers due to the subdued disposable income.
Contacted for comment, the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) Executive Director, Ms Rosemary Siyachitema, who was clearly not aware of the development, expressed surprise but said her office will carry out a survey to ascertain the exact cause of the price increase.
The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe could not be drawn into revealing the cause of the price increase.
It has emerged that most retailers have increased the price of mealie-meal from an average of US$5,60 to US$5,80 for a 10kgs bag of roller meal while a 10 kgs bag of Pearlenta is now selling at an average of US$7,15 up from US$6,90.
Surprisingly, the marginal increase in the price of mealie-meal comes at a time the country is slowly sliding into the deflation mode, following the continued decline in the month-on-month inflation rate.
Meanwhile, consumers say the marginal increase is unjustified, arguing that any upward adjustment in the price of the basic commodity will be a burden on the buyers due to the subdued disposable income.
Contacted for comment, the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) Executive Director, Ms Rosemary Siyachitema, who was clearly not aware of the development, expressed surprise but said her office will carry out a survey to ascertain the exact cause of the price increase.
The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe could not be drawn into revealing the cause of the price increase.
Source - ZBC
