Poor households are struggling to afford a basic basket of staple foods their families need for adequate health and nutrition, according to the  Pietermaritzburg Agency for Community Social Action’s 2013 Food Prices Barometer.

The report was released to coincide with World Food Day on 16th October and states that a basket of 32 food products which form the basic foods in the shopping trolleys of poor and working class households in Pietermaritzburg increased to R1 509.34 in September 2013, an increase of 8.7% year-on-year.

Poor and working class households spend most of their incomes on food.

• The inflation on the 2013 PACSA food basket is higher than the Consumer Price Index of 6.4% and CPI-Food of 7.1% and indicates that poorer households carry a greater inflation burden.
• One of the core findings in the 2013 PACSA Food Price Barometer is that that the core staples of maize meal, rice, flour, bread, potatoes, sugar and oil are becoming more expensive and increasingly unaffordable.
• Core staples, mainly made up of starches form the core of the working class and poor household diets.  Starches must be bought regardless of price.  This means that households have to spend more money on starches and less money is available to buy meat, dairy, fats and oils, and vegetables.  This has a significant impact on dietary diversity and has serious implications for people’s health.