Mbabane– Maize meal recorded the sharpest increase among Eswatini’s essential food commodities in July, reflecting higher costs within the domestic grain value chain as the National Maize Corporation (NMC) began procuring locally produced maize for the 2026 marketing season.
The latest Monthly Price Tracker released by the Eswatini Competition Commission (ESCC) shows that the average retail price of a 10kg bag of maize meal increased by 8.8 per cent from E121.13 in June to E131.82 in July. The price of a 5kg bag also rose by 3.9 per cent from E66.56 to E69.17, making maize meal the fastest-rising staple during the month.
The commission said the increase followed the NMC’s commencement of local maize procurement, which resulted in higher selling prices to millers after the corporation purchased grain from local farmers. Those increased costs subsequently filtered through the milling, wholesale and retail value chain before reaching consumers.
The latest figures illustrate how movements in agricultural input costs continue to influence retail food prices, with maize meal remaining one of the country’s most consumed staple products. While the procurement programme is aimed at supporting domestic maize production and providing a reliable market for local farmers, it has also translated into higher prices on supermarket shelves.
Cooking oil also registered a notable increase during the review period, reinforcing the impact of external market conditions on Eswatini’s food basket. The average retail price of a two-litre bottle rose by 3.1 per cent from E73.17 in June to E75.46 in July, while the price of a 750ml bottle edged up by 0.7 per cent to E35.26.
Unlike maize meal, whose increase was driven by developments in the domestic market, the ESCC said cooking oil prices were influenced by regional and international edible oil markets. As Eswatini relies heavily on imported raw materials for cooking oil production, fluctuations in global commodity prices and supply chain costs continue to affect local retail prices.
Despite the increases in maize meal and cooking oil, the commission noted that prices of most other essential food commodities remained relatively stable during July. Rice recorded marginal increases, sugar prices were unchanged, while beans rose only slightly. Prices of beef, poultry, milk and eggs either remained stable or declined modestly over the period.
The overall stability in the broader food basket helped contain food inflation during the month. However, the increases in maize meal and cooking oil are expected to have a greater impact on household spending given the two products’ prominence in the average consumer’s shopping basket.
The July report highlights the continued sensitivity of Eswatini’s food market to both domestic agricultural costs and international commodity trends, underscoring the importance of efficient supply chains in keeping essential food items affordable while sustaining local agricultural production.
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