According to official government data seen by […]

According to official government data seen by Zambian Business Times- ZBT has revealed that on an annual basis, retail prices between June 2025 and June 2026 shows that the national average prices of a 25kg bag of Breakfast mealie meal decreased by 11.4% from K307.8 to K272.7.

A further check indicated that a 25kg bag of roller meal under the same period under review decreased by 14.23% from K259.04 to K222.19. Agriculture Expert Dr. Frank Kayula has attributed the 11.4 % reduction in breakfast mealie meal on an annual basis from June 2025 to June 2026 due to the country having a huge harvest of maize.

Speaking in an interview with Zambian Business Times -ZBT Dr. Kayula noted that Zambia having a bumper harvest of maize crates competition for seller as for them to be able to sell maize they have to reduce their prices. “Zambia having too much maize simply means that there is completion now to seller, because for them to be able to seller their maize, they have to bring the commodity prices down and in the process the prices of maize having been reducing,” said Kayula.

 However, despite Zambia having enough maize Kayula appealed to farmers that have maize to keep part of their harvest as the country is expected to experience the El Nino.

 “ Our appeal to farmers those that  have maize harvest is that, they should not sell everything and if they can let them keep for two seasons because the country is expected to experience an el nino which will trigger increased mealie prices, “ said Kayula

Article by Phillip Sinkala