• Kwacha’s recent appreciation against major currencies
• Reduction in fuel pump prices effected on 1st August, 2022.
• Influence of seasonality on both the food and non-food sections of the basket continues to affect the cost of living.

Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has disclosed that the cost of living for a family of five, as measured by the Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket for the month of August 2022 in Lusaka, stood at K9, 077.86, signifying a K254.96 decrease from the K9, 332.82 recorded in July, 2022.

JCTR Programmes Manager Muchimba Siamachoka explained that the downward movement in the basket can mainly be attributed to price movements in certain items such as two 90 kilo grams bags of charcoal, 1 kilo gram of Kapenta, 5 kilo grams of chicken and two 25kilo grams bags of roller mealie meal.

“The downward movement in the basket can mainly be attributed to price movements in certain items such as two 90kg bags of charcoal which went down by K44.00 from K900.00 (K450 per bag) to K856.00 (K428 per bag), 1kg of Kapenta which went down by K56.22 from K261.67 to K205.45, 5kg of chicken which went down by K37.26 from K325.82 to K288.56 and two 25kg bags of roller mealie meal also reduced by K32.36 from K261.50 (K130.75 per bag) to K229.14 (114.57 per bag),” She disclosed.

Ms. Siamachoka added that the basket also recorded decreases in items such as 3 trays of eggs as well as 3.6 liters of cooking oil.

She said the basket however recorded notable increases in items such as 6 kilo grams of tomatoes and 4 kilo grams rice.

“The basket also recorded decreases in items such as 3 trays of eggs which went down by K18.48 from K172.99 (K19.20/ unit) to K154.50 (K17.17/unit) as well as 3.6 liters of cooking oil which went down by K6.00 from K204.00 to K198.00,”Ms. Siamachoka noted.

According to her, “the basket however recorded notable increases in items such as 6kg of tomatoes which went up by K8.33 from K72.36 (K12.06/kg) to K80.69 (13.45/kg) and 4kg rice which also went up by K8.92 from K94.65 to K103.57.”

Ms. Siamachoka further attributed price reductions primarily to the kwacha’s recent appreciation against major currencies such as the US dollar, and the reduction in fuel pump prices effected on 1st August, 2022.

“It is noteworthy to mention that the influence of seasonality on both the food and non-food sections of the basket continues to affect the cost of living” explaining that this is reflected in the lower price of charcoal, which may be due to a lower demand for the commodity, given the end of the cold season,” she added.