2.5kg maize meal packet the cheapest staple food item in Windhoek during November

The average retail prices for some of the basic products consumed by the households for the month of November 2020 indicate that for a packet of maize meal (2.5 kg), the Khomas region recorded the lowest price of N$35.21.

This is according to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s November 2020 consumer price index. The price for maize in //Kharas, Erongo, Hardap and Omaheke stood at N$37.09. For cooking oil (750 ml), consumers in the Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, and Zambezi regions paid the lowest price at N$20.25 while the highest price was observed in Khomas at N$21.51.

During November, on average, the motorist in northern regions paid N$12.15 per litre for petrol, while in //Kharas, Erongo, Hardap and Omaheke motorists paid N$12. 07 per litre and in Khomas the price was N$12.08 per litre.

This was due to the annual inflation rate that slowed to 2.2% from 2.5% recorded in November 2019. Statistician General Alex Shimuafeni said despite this slowdown, on a monthly basis, the inflation rate remained unchanged at 0.1% compared to a month earlier.

“The slow growth in the annual inflation rate for November 2020 was mainly reflected in the price levels of Clothing and footwear (from 1.9% to -6.5%); hotels, cafes and restaurants (from 3.5% to 0.95); housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (from 1.9% to -1.3%), transport (from 0.1% to -1.2%) and recreation and culture (from 4.9% to 4.3%),” Shimuafeni explained.

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