The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has released the Basic Needs Basket for the month of May 2009 with an observation that the continued increase in the cost of food is hurting the Zambian economy and undercutting development prospects of the country as increases of food have multidimensional effects on various sectors of Zambian society.

The Basic Needs Basket which measures cost of living for an average family of six in Lusaka and other urban areas of Ndola, Kitwe, Luanshya, Kabwe, Livingstone, Mongu and Kasama has starkly revealed that local food prices on the Zambian market have continued to increase despite what would have been the case of experiencing some general reduction due to post harvest effects.

From costing K788, 200 in the month of April 2009, the cost of basic food items for a family of six in Lusaka added to K815, 850.

JCTR Coordinator of the Social Conditions Programme, Miniva Chibuye, says this is a clear manifestation of a rise in cost of living unaffected yet by seasonality influences.

Ms. Chibuye said this nominal increase was mainly influenced by the cost of tomatoes, onions, green vegetables and dairy products.

She said the Basic Needs Basket research revealed unprecedented increases in Tomatoes and Onions of over 100 percent.

Ms. Chibuye said Tomatoes increased from K4, 700 to K10, 500 per Kg. Onions on the other hand increased from K5, 200 to K10, 200.

She said this could be explained by the limited local supply of the items leading to importing products at high prices.

Similarly, green vegetables increased from K4, 200 to K7, 500 per Kg while meat increased from K18, 600 to K19, 500. Increases were also registered in milk, eggs, kapenta and cooking oil.

On the other hand, reductions were recorded in the cost of mealie meal, from K67, 300 to K62, 500. Minimal reductions were also observed in sugar, bread, dry fish and beans.

Ms. Chibuye said the prevailing trend of unrelenting increases in food prices obviously worsens conditions for those who are already food insecure and may push more people into hunger and malnutrition.

She said the effect of long term experience of unaffordable food cost could, for instance, be seen in the recently published Zambia Demographic Health Survey which revealed that 45 percent of the Zambian children were stunted, a sign of chronic malnutrition.

Ms. Chibuye said is aggravated by the high cost of non-food items such as housing, utility costs.

Adding these costs, the total Basic Needs Basic for May was K2, 240,280 up from K2, 219,230.

Ms. Chibuye said fundamentally high food prices and attendant inability to meet the necessary non-food items naturally lead to increase in demand for upward wage adjustments and also contributes to strikes as is currently obtaining in the health sector.

She however, said the flip side to the argument of high food prices having negative impacts on Zambian society is the obvious argument that high food prices benefit the producers.

“This is true to the extent that certain preconditions are put in place for rural populations to participate effectively in production and marketing arrangements,” observes Ms. Chibuye.