Figures from National Statistical Office (NSO) show that while headline inflation is up by 0.5 percentage points, Food inflation rate was seen at 14.7% compared to 17.6% in February, 2020.

The above has been attributed to an influx of maize in most traditional markets, following the harvesting season, which has contributed to a drop in prices on the market. On the other hand, Malawi is expected to produce about 3,691,866 metric tonnes of maize this season, up from 3,391,924 metric tonnes produced during the 2018/2019 season, representing an 8.8 percent increase.

Following the coronavirus pandemic, stakeholders had to revise inflation forecasts for Malawi, as prior forecasts in January did not see the negative effects of the virus on the global economy.