Malawians are reeling as maize prices skyrocket, with a 50-kilogram bag now fetching a staggering K85,000, up from K60,000 just a few months ago. The sharp rise is tightening the noose around low-income families, forcing some to take drastic measures.
For Anita Kang'ona of Bangwe Township, Blantyre, the spike has turned daily meals into a luxury. "We are now buying maize at K1,600 per kilogramme. Three meals a day are impossible--we have resorted to one meal per day," the 26-year-old housewife said, lamenting that her husband's small business has also collapsed under rising food costs.
Her struggle mirrors that of Doreen John of Gomani Village in Chiradzulu, who harvested only a 50kg bag of maize last season and ran out by March. "Only God knows where we are heading. We survive by God's grace," she said, relying on selling firewood to stay afloat.
Nationwide, the situation is dire. Vendors in Chiradzulu are selling maize at K1,700 per kg, while in Kauma, Lilongwe, prices range between K62,000 and K68,000 per 50kg bag. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) reports that maize prices have jumped by 13 percent in most parts of the country since June, compared to K792 per kg last year.
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Economists warn that rising maize prices threaten to drive inflation higher in an economy already strained by election-related spending. Horace Phiri, agriculture economist at LUANAR, blamed factors including the government's farm gate pricing and the general rise in goods and services. He urged the government to ensure sufficient maize supply, particularly through timely sales by Admarc Limited, which has so far purchased about 13,000 metric tonnes from smallholder farmers.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is stepping in to assist the most vulnerable, targeting 1.9 million Malawians in nine districts with food, nutrition support, emergency school meals, and logistics aid.
Malawi's maize deficit has widened alarmingly to 1.2 million metric tonnes, more than double the initial projection for the 2024/25 season. Experts note that maize accounts for 53.7 percent of the consumer price index, meaning every spike in grain prices sends shockwaves through the broader economy.
Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has reassured the nation that the government is promoting irrigation, crop diversification, and local maize procurement to ease shortages. But for families like Kang'ona's and John's, every day is a battle against hunger while maize prices continue to soar.
