In its country brief for Malawi, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said that a raise in maize prices may result in an aggravation of food insecurity conditions.

Maize prices rose steeply in July and firmed up in August 2019, having generally risen since mid-2018 with the national average maize price, at K 217 per kg, being 80% higher year-on-year as of August.

The FAO report has said that food insecurity is expected to worsen in the next months, particularly for rural households in the South that were affected by Cyclone Idai. Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) executive director John Kapito said the rising maize price is making it tough for the consumers, but it is even worse for the minimum wage earner, who out of K35 000, has to cough more for food.

FAO estimates that the number of food insecure people is estimated to have fallen on a yearly basis from 2.2 million to 0.67 million in the July-September 2019 period, prompted by the production upturn.

On the other hand, the Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) executive director John Kapito, has said that the rising maize price is making it tough for the consumers, but it is even worse for the minimum wage earner, who has only K35000. FAO estimates that the number of food insecure people is estimated to have fallen on a yearly basis from 2.2 million to 0.67 million in the July-September 2019 period, prompted by the production upturn.