Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) has expressed fear that government’s projections that maize prices will drop further could frustrate farmers’ efforts considering the current high cost of production.
Cdedi executive director Sylvester Namiwa said this at a press briefing in Lilongwe yesterday following Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation Joseph Mwanamvekha’s projection that maize prices will drop further to K20 000 per 50 kilogramme (kg) bag by August this year.
He said such a projection without addressing fertiliser prices is confusing and could potentially discourage production as farmers fear they may end up growing the grain at a high cost but sell it at a loss.
Namiwa said: “We would like the minister, being the chief economic planner, to justify the projection because everyone knows the prices of fertiliser to warrant such price drop of maize.
“Luckily, the minister is currently conducting pre-budget consultation meetings. We hope he will utilize this opportunity to tell Malawians how the maize price will reach that far.”
According to him, such a projection could result in underproduction and continued need for maize imports which could further drain the country’s already depleted foreign exchange reserves.
Mwanamvekha’s maize price projection follows a six percent drop of the grain’s price in November 2025 when the national average was recorded at K1 168 per kg from K1 238/kg in October 2025 following government imports of maize from Zambia to stabilise supply.
Food inflation, which accounts for the bulk of the country’s inflation, has since dropped to 30.1 percent in November, from 32.4 percent after the easing of maize prices despite non-food inflation rising to 24.2 percent from 23.8 percent in October.
According to the International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) Maize Market Report for November 2025, the grain’s retail price dropped, building on the trend observed post-September 16 General Election that marked a reversal of an upward price movement that started in June.
Earlier, Centre for Social Concern (CfSC) economic governance programmes officer Agnes Nyirongo described the easing of maize prices as a temporary relief emanating from government maize imports and election-induced market speculation.
Inflation was recorded at 27.9 percent in November 2025 down from 29.1 percent in October with the Reserve Bank of Malawi projecting the rate to average 28.9 percent this year from 32.2 percent in 2024.
