By Maile Matsimela
This report summarises the findings from the NAMC Food Basket: 28 Selected Food Items Prices (issue 113, April 2025), which analyses food price data from March 2025.
According to the latest National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) food price monitor, the nominal cost of the 28-item urban food basket reached R1 320.44 in March 2025. This represents a 0.4% increase from the previous month and a 4.0% year-on-year increase compared to March 2024.
Food items exceeding inflation target
The NAMC Food Price Monitor report for April 2025 identifies seven essential food items that have experienced price increases significantly above the South African Reserve Bank’s inflation target of 6%. At 19.7%, bananas showed the highest year-on-year price surge, followed closely by instant coffee with an 18.9% increase. Ceylon/black tea prices rose by 13.7%, while apples increased by 13.1%. Three staple food items also saw substantial price hikes: maize meal increased by 12.2%, cabbage by 11.6% and dried beans by 10.8%. These elevated price increases across both fresh produce and household staples represent a concerning trend for South African consumers, particularly affecting everyday essential items that form part of the typical food basket.
Food group price changes
The report highlights significant price changes across various food categories:
• Coffee & tea: Largest year-on-year increase among food groups at 16.4%
• Fruits & nuts: Increased by 7.9% year-on-year
• Vegetables: Showed a modest increase of 3.3% year-on-year, with some items like potatoes (-7.4%) and onions (-0.3%) actually decreasing in price
Urban vs rural price comparison
The NAMC report reveals consistent price differences between urban and rural areas. Urban consumers generally paid more for certain food items, with the largest price difference observed in:
• Ceylon/black tea (R10.58 higher in urban areas)
• Other items with notable urban-rural price differences include maize meal, peanut butter and sunflower oil
South African food inflation
South Africa’s annual food inflation rate slightly decreased from 2.8% in February 2025 to 2.7% in March 2025, as reported by NAMC.
Global food price trends
The report indicates the global food price index remained stable in March 2025, with varied trends across different categories:
• Cereals: Prices decreased due to improved crop conditions and changing trade policies
• Sugar: Prices fell globally, reflecting weakened demand
• Vegetable oils: Prices increased, primarily driven by biofuel demand
• Meat: Moderate price increases were observed globally
Import-dependent food categories in South Africa, such as cereals and oils, were influenced by these global price movements.
Local agricultural commodity trends
The NAMC report notes several significant monthly changes in local agricultural commodity prices:
- White maize: -4.0%
- Yellow maize: -6.0%
- Sunflower seeds: +8.0%
Comparative global food inflation
The report provides food inflation data for South Africa’s trading partners and BRICS nations, placing South Africa’s food inflation rate in a global context.
