• Cost of living for a family of five for January stood at K8, 394.
• This shows an increase of K989.96 from the December 2020 basket which was K7, 404.05.
• Rise in the basket is due to increase in the prices of both food and non-food items.

Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) says the Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) for the month of January has increased by K989.
JCTR Programmes Manager Chama Mundia stated that the January food basket stood at K8, 394, compared with the December 2020 basket which was K7, 404.
Ms. Mundia attributed the rise in the basket to price escalations of both food and non-food but essential items.
She said price increases is a diverse set of contextual challenges that have been affecting the country, adding that the fish ban continues to mount pressure on price of kapenta which increased by K85.82 from K268.67 to K354.49 for 1kg.
“From the basic food items, kapenta increased by K85.82 from K268.67 to K354.49 for 1kg, potatoes moved from K50.55 to K106.36 an increase of K56.01 for 4kg, the price of 40kg of vegetables increased by K55.44 from K506.37 to K561.81, bananas moved from K226.78 to K273.41 showing a K46.63 rise, milk showed a K40 price increase moving from K199.97 to K239.97 for 10 liters, pounded groundnuts moved from K42.83 to K74.62 for a kg, beans increased by K26.12 from K127.80 to K153.92 for 3kg, soya pieces increased by K25.91 for 2kg moving from K87.18 to K113.09.”
“The price of onion, other fruits, tomatoes and chicken showed increases ranging between K18.84 and K15.74. From the nonfood but essential items, the price of charcoal increased by K232.20 from K353 to K567.20. Housing and electricity cost increased by K190 and K37.50 respectively from the 2020 figures as this is updated annually,” Ms. Mundia disclosed.
Ms. Mundia further stated that JCTR expects the pressure to continue as the fish ban is only scheduled to end in May 2021, noting that Price movements from December 2020 to January 2021 are the highest month on month record since January 2020.
“Seasonality has also affected the price of vegetables in the country as was the case in January 2020 were the price of 40kg of vegetables was K669.77. Overall, the January 2021 basket has shown a 13.26 percent increase from the January 2020 basket. While the nation has continued to record favorable rainfall across the country which is projected to result in another bumper harvest in the 2020/21 farming season, significant challenges remain.”
Ms. Mundia noted that the annual inflation rate for January 2021 stood at 21.5 percent according to the Zambia Statistics Agency, the highest annual inflation rate since April 2016.
She however said a look at selected items on the JCTR BNNB, shows an average increase of 50 percent between January 2020 and January 2021 for foods such as beef, beans, chicken and milk.
And Ms. Mundia observed that despite the country having continued to record favorable rainfall which is projected to result in another bumper harvest in the 2020/2021 farming season, significant challenges remain.
She explained that the critical need to prioritize clear interventions that will help address the nation’s macroeconomic challenges therefore remain a must if households are to register improvements.
“With these figures it is evident that price increases in some basic items are much higher than the average annual inflation rate. Thus, indicative of the significant challenges that Zambian households are facing in meeting their day-to-day basic needs.”
“We call upon Government in collaboration with other key stakeholders to explore interventions that would help cushion fishermen during fishing ban periods in order to not compromise their food security and consequently nutrition status,” she stated.