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South Africa Regulator Calls For A Probe Into Food Prices

By  |  January 6, 2021

The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group is calling for the Competition Commission to investigate the food value chain.

Research done by the organization shows food prices have risen by 17% over the course of 2020, spiking much higher than inflation for the year.

“This trajectory of increase in food prices are continuing into 2021,” said the organization’s Mervyn Abrahams.

“It’s the core foods where we are seeing the greatest inflation repression.”

Abrahams said these are foods like maize meal, rice, oil, and potatoes, to name a few.

“Other foods, rich in nutrients such as leafy vegetables, drop out of the basket and this is exactly at the time we require healthy and active immune systems,” Abrahams said.

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