Maize prices soar 20% in a month as cost of living crisis deepens for Malawian families

Malawian households are being hit by a fresh cost of living blow after maize prices rocketed by a staggering 20 per cent in just one month, sparking fresh fears over food affordability across the country.

New figures reveal the average retail price of the nation’s staple crop surged to K960 per kilogramme in August — up sharply from K803 per kg just weeks earlier at the end of July.

The alarming spike, revealed in the International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) Malawi’s latest market report, shows prices climbing across every single market monitored nationwide, though some regions have been hit far harder than others.

Families in the Southern Region are bearing the brunt of the surge, with prices there soaring to K1,021 per kg by the end of August — the highest in the country.

The Central Region wasn’t far behind, with maize fetching K943 per kg, while the Northern Region recorded a comparatively lower, though still steep, average of K751 per kg.

Worryingly, prices in both the Southern and Central regions have now blown past the government’s own recommended price cap of K900 per kg — raising fresh questions over whether authorities can keep the surging cost of the nation’s most important food staple under control.