Consumers squeezed as meat, fish prices rise
Mbongeni Mguni | Tuesday June 16, 2026 11:10
The outbreak of the viral cloven-hoofed animal disease has led to restrictions on livestock movement and slaughter in southern districts, as authorities battle to stamp it out.
Statistics Botswana figures show that meat prices in May were 10.5 percent higher than they were in May 2025, while fish prices were up 15 percent over the same period. Many consumers have attempted to avoid higher beef prices by switching to fish and chicken. In April, meat prices were up ten percent from April 2025, while fish prices were up 12.5 percent.
Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) data shows that cubed stewing beef was P85.50 per kilogramme in May, compared to P60.40 in December, an increase of nearly 42 percent. Prices have risen across the more expensive cuts, with topside rising from P78.50 in February to P156.20 in May.
Retailers are adding mark-ups of more than 10 percent on the prices, resulting in stewing beef averaging more than P110 per kilogramme in Gaborone. A snap survey of supermarkets also indicates that poultry producers have latched onto the growing popularity of their products as an alternative to beef, with rising prices of various packages, particularly the frozen “braai packs”.
The latest average prices for meat and fish come as both products topped the list of fastest risers in the food basket last year. According to Statistics Botswana figures, average prices of meat rose by 8.5 percent in 2025, while fish prices increased by 9.3 percent.
The upward trend in prices is also exacerbated by the steep rise in fuel prices in March, with increases of up to P8.77 per litre due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Recently, analysts at Standard Chartered said they now expect inflation in the country to average ten percent for 2026, from 5.3 percent.
“We raise our average inflation forecast driven primarily by fuel price pass-through. “With imported tradeables accounting for about 42% of its CPI basket, Botswana is particularly vulnerable to a price shock,” the Bank said.
The inflation outlook is expected to worsen due to planned tax increases. Besides adjustments to personal and corporate taxes, the Botswana Unified Revenue Service introduced Value Added Tax on digital services from June 1. The move means the 14 percent Value Added Tax will be applied on local consumers of digital services such as Netflix, Google and Amazon as well as other remote services.
The Bank of Botswana, in its last update, said it expects inflation to average 8.7 percent this year, from a prior projection of 4.5 percent.
Inflation for May accelerated to 10.7 percent, from 10.3 percent in April, as a result of the second-round effects of the March fuel price increase.