Key points:
The average price for maize meal fell by 2 percent in September; wheat flour prices remained stable. Despite the fall, maize prices are still higher than the five-year average and the September 2015 average
Maize meal and wheat flour are more expensive in rural areas than in urban zones.
Prices for pulses were stable in September compared to Augustin most districts
Rain has fallen in parts of Lesotho and some farmers have begun planting. Progress should be monitored.
Methodology
In September 2016, mVAM collected price data through mobile phones from 40 traders throughout the country. Traders were selected to cover functional markets in urban and rural areas. Fifty-seven percent of the traders interviewed were in rural areas: of these, 24 were retailers in supermarkets, 14 were retailers in small shops and 2 were wholesalers. Because of network coverage problems, some traders’ phones were not reachable.
The survey questions focused on the prices of the basic foods that constitute the standard food basket (foods eaten by an average household in Lesotho) maize meal, wheat flour, beans and peas, cooking oil, cabbage, salt and sugar. Other survey questions addressed food availability, market accessibility and factors that might limit business. There was also an open-ended question to gauge traders’ perception of the food security situation in their local areas.