Prices of basic commodities have doubled, trippled and quadrupled in the past few months. Things have become so expensive such that most households have had to adjust their lifestyles. Things such as meat, bread, milk and ice cream have become luxurious items only consumed at parties and special occasions. So dire is the situation in the country that most people have lamented that their salaries are not able to buy groceries alone. Many people are now resorting to cheap alternative meals for sustenance.
1 Mealie Meal
The staple food for Zimbabwe is sadza, which is made using Mealie meal. At the beginning of the year a 10 kg bag of Mealie meal was costing around 7 rtgs dollars on average. It is now being sold for 65 rtgs dollars, which is beyond the reach of many.
2 Cooking oil
It is essential to almost every meal. Cooking oil which was being sold for an average of 5 rtgs dollars is now fetching at a shocking 35 rtgs dollars in most retail shops.
3 Rice
This has now become a luxury item as most people can no longer afford to buy it. Rice was being sold at a consistent price of 3rtgs dollars at the beginning of the year. It rarely went beyond that amount. A two kg packet of rice is now going for an average price of 30 to 50 rtgs dollars. Zimbabweans seem to be reverting to the old days whereby rice was mainly eaten on special occasions like christmas day and at weddings.
4 Meat
Meat has also not been spared on the price hikes. A single chicken bird was being sold for an average price of 6 rtgs dollars at the beginning of the year. It is now being sold at a staggering 50 rtgs dollars.
5 Fuel
Since January, fuel prices have been going up on a regular basis. Petrol is now fetching at around 11 rtgs from 3 rtgs at the beginning of the year. Diesel also spiked to 13 rtgs dollars. Fuel price hikes sparked nationwide protests in January.
Life has certainly been a unbearable for many locals as the price increase madness continues to rage on at an alarming rate.
