Annual food inflation rose marginally in October to 5.5% from 5.4% in September, driven mainly by an increase in average meat prices.
Statistics Botswana figures show that an index tracking the average prices of meat rose to eight percent in October, from 7.3% in September. Meat carries the second heaviest weighting in the basket of items measured by Statistics Botswana to produce food inflation. The heaviest item, bread and cereals, was unchanged at an annual rate of 3.9% between September and October.
The data agency’s numbers also show that in the 12 months to October, coffee, tea and cocoa prices have risen the highest at 13.5%, however their impact on overall food inflation was muted as their weighting in the basket is amongst the lowest.
Average prices of sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery rose the second highest over the same period at 10.8%, followed by unclassified food items and meat. On the other end of the scale, average vegetable prices retreated by 9.7% over the 12 months to October, followed by bread and cereals which rose 3.9% over the same period.
Food inflation is expected to continue heating up as the effects of the July exchange rate adjustments continue to reverberate around the economy.
