Key highlights
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For most of the primary food commodities, Niassa, followed by Cabo Delgado, Zambezia, Manica, and Tete, showed a higher instability in prices compared to other provinces. This also indicates the need for the diversification of supply channels for Mozambique to tackle the impact on its supply which was heavily dependent on Ukraine, Russia and its neighbouring countries.
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Maize prices have increased in all locations compared to January 2022, with Gaza and Niassa showing the highest increase of +40 percent, followed by Tete (+28 percent) and Sofala with +23.3 percent.
Nationally the price of white maize increased of 34% probably because of the effects of the lean season. -
With prices on the rise, the purchasing power of Mozambicans has been experiencing a downward trend since December 2022. The surge in prices (steep inflation increase) is explained by the effect of the floods on the supply of fresh products and the increase in public transport fares. In December 2022, it reached a high of 3.83 Kg; however, 3.41Kg for the month of February and still showing a descending trend, reflecting the impact of the tropical storms on food production and availability. A dramatic 11.4 percent decrease in purchasing power was observed compared to February 2022. This will likely impact food security, especially in the most vulnerable households.
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Vegetable oil price in September presents a high decrease in Nampula province compared to last month’s prices (-22 percent). In the last six months also, a considerable reduction in all the provinces is noticeable; however, compared to January 2023, a decrease of a paltry 0.1 percent was registered, which is insignificant to overcome the heightened food expenditure driven by inflation and other price hikes.