Festive season blues due to food-prices surge

Razor's Kalay Maistry and NTT Data's Marian Scala named in Provoke Media’s Innovator 25 EMEA

Danette Breitenbach

IOL reports that the critical maize shortage and the increase in diesel and paraffin prices means that festive season consumers will pay higher prices for food, including chicken, meat and vegetables. Recently, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced that a shortage of grain feed for animals - caused when South Africa exported its maize surplus - will drive higher food prices.

Thami Bolani, National Consumer Forum chairman, said people should expect more food price increases with toll road tariff hikes. He said the rand was also not doing well and this had a negative impact on food prices. "This is something we should expect, especially in protein and rice, because the demand is high globally," Bolani said, adding that people should spend their money wisely to be able to cope with the food prices. "There are many unemployed people out there and others spend 50 percent of their salaries on feeding their families," Bolani told IOL.

Black Sash spokesperson, Nkosikhulule Nyembezi, said many households in South Africa were struggling with food security. "Government needs to intervene and expand on programmes to alleviate poverty. Many households rely only on grants which means the additional increase will reduce food," said Nyembezi. The outlook for food prices for December 2011 to February 2012 was expected to remain higher than 10% for the next three months. With the festive season upon us, higher costs will filter down to consumers.

Read the full article on www.iol.co.za.