South Africa’s food inflation continued its downward trend in October, easing for the third consecutive month even as overall consumer inflation edged higher.
Statistics SA reported last week that food price inflation slowed to 3.9% in October, down from 4.4% in September, while headline inflation rose to 3.6% from 3.4%.
Economists and civil society organisations have welcomed the decline, saying it offers much-needed relief to households squeezed by high living costs.
Wandile Sihlobo, chief Economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, said the slowdown was driven largely by lower prices for fruit and nuts, vegetables, meat, sugar, confectionery and desserts.
“The ample supplies, combined with the base effects, are what contribute to the easing of price inflation in these products," he said.
"Moreover, while modestly up from the…
