Malawi inflation hits 28.3 percent: Cost of living up
Malawi’s year on year consumer inflation quickened to 28.3 percent in September from 25.5 percent in August, a 2.8 percentage points increase the National Statistical Office (NSO) in Zomba said on Tuesday.
NSO said the inflation has increased due to a sharp rise in food prices,
“Food inflation has gone up by 27.7 percent compared to 2.7 percent during the same period last year,” said the NSO.
“Core inflation has gone up by 28.8 percent compared to 12.5 percent during the same period last year,” said the NSO in its Stats Flash
Cost of living
The Roman Catholic body called Centre for Social Concern (CFSC), that come up with monthly surveysof cost of living in Malawi has also indicated that the cost of living has gone up in the month of September.
According to published reports, the welfare monitoring body’s report shows that the total Basic Needs Basket (BNB) survey for Lilongwe averaged K85 997, Zomba K68 417, Blantyre K76 643 and Mzuzu K73 670.
Lilongwe average BNB has increased by 8.5 percent from K79 286 to K85 997, Zomba 2.4 percent from K66 787 to K68 417, Mzuzu 2.6 percent from K71 798 to K73 670 while Blantyre decreased by 5.8 percent from K81 363 to K76 643 in September.
Tthe decline in the cost of living for Blantyre is due to a decline in the food basket which has gone down by about nine percent from K45 019 to K40 953 while the non-food basket has declined by about 1.9 percent from K36 344 to K35 690.
The BNB monthly report, among others, includes the cost of food and non-food items such as maize, usipa, beans, charcoal, utility bills and housing rentals.
