Mealie Meal Prices Increase In Kitwe

Mealie-Meal retailers in Kitwe have increased the price of the commodity by K 5 citing high fuel prices following an upward adjustment of the commodity by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB).

A Check within the Central Business District found a 25kg bag breakfast mealie meal fetching between K 75 and K80 from about K 70 and K 75.

The retailers said the increase in the price of fuel has triggered an increase in mealie meal prices.

“This business works in line with transport, so when transport goes up it means we are left with no benefit but to as well hike the prices so that we are not on a loss, well the end users will feel the impact yes and that is as much as we feel it as well” One of the retailers said.

However, some retailers could not explain how they rushed to increase the price of old stock

And some residents have appealed to government to intervene and stabilise the price mealie meal.

The residents talked to say the government should always try to make lives of people affordable as much as it has no control of fuel prices on the international market.

“When you look at the increase of fuel you will realise that it’s just about K 1, so why have retailers gone beyond K 5? And you will also discover that most of it is old stock, this is very unfortunate, they seem to be taking advantage of poor Zambians,” one of the residents said.