This month retailer Woolworths set off a small Twitter storm by increasing the price of its whole rotisserie chicken by R10, from R89.99 to R99.99.
That’s a big leap, and it has nothing to do with import tariffs or anti-dumping duties (whether in abeyance or not). The impact of rising input prices for poultry and other meat producers is the main driver of food price inflation. Increases had already started by the time the Russian invasion of Ukraine occupied, which also sharply increased global prices of feed, fertiliser and fuel. Food prices have been rocketing around the world.
If you are asking why food has become so expensive, it’s very clearly explained by Wandile Sihlobo in this informative piece in the Citizen newspaper.
