In October, Windhoek Cash and Carry stood out as the most budget-friendly option among the three wholesalers in the capital.
Basket composition:
5-litre Cooking Oil
10kg Top Score maize meal
10kg Marathon sugar (white sugar)
4 kg Chicken
10kg Tastic rice
5kg Pasta Polana Macaroni
10kg Baking Flour
1-litre 6’s Nammilk full cream
Over the last five months, the price curves for the above items have remained relatively flat across the three wholesalers, resulting in an average basket cost of N$1,303.91.
For October, Windhoek Cash and Carry again offered a wallet-friendly basket at N$1,260.93, although it was a 1.67% increase on the September basket. This increase is attributed to the price change in the 1-litre fresh milk pack, which went up from N$124.7 to N141.99.
In contrast, Metro stood out as the less budget-friendly option, with a basket cost of N$1,329.42 for the month, marking a 2.03% increase compared to the previous month. Notable price hikes can be observed in Metro’s 4kg Real Good Chicken, which increased from N$186.99 to N$215.99, a 1-litre milk carton went up from N$130.99 to N$141.49, and Bokomo Flour rose from N$172.99 to N$182.99.
Wecke & Voigts saw a 2.84% decrease in the cost of the basket for October, with the overall basket now priced at N$1,304.39 from N$1,342.2.
It is worth noting that these wholesalers tend to increase prices on some items while decreasing prices on others, which can create the illusion of an overall basket cost decrease.
Now, let’s focus on the 10kg Top Score item: October’s Spotlight Commodity.
Over a five-month survey period (June to October), the average price for a 10kg Top Score was N$122.80 across the three wholesalers. Windhoek Cash and Carry had the most cost-effective average price for Top Score at N$118.57. The price of this item has been on the decline, starting at N$129.99 in June and dropping to N$112.99 in October.
Meanwhile, the average price of a 10kg Top Score bag was N$128.59 at Metro during the same period. The Metro prices fluctuated, starting at N$135.99 in June, increasing to N$139.99 in July before dropping to N$116.99 in August, and remaining at N$124.99 in September and October.
It is worth noting that Top Score contains maize as a key ingredient and most of the maize used is imported. Between 2016 and 2020, 70% of total maize consumption was imported. In August 2023, maize made it to the top five goods transported by road in Namibian statistics publications, with 13,143 tonnes imported. However, there has been a significant increase in local maize production, with the 2020/21 marketing year seeing an increase to 66,642 tonnes compared to the previous year’s 28,887 tonnes, as reported by the Agronomic Board.
The growing demand for and heavy reliance on imported white maize grain in Namibia signals a clear opportunity to bolster domestic production. In its market intelligence report on white wheat maize last year, the Agronomic Board suggested investing in projects to expand local white maize cultivation within the country to ensure sustainable supply.
NB: These comparisons do not consider special offers or discounts related to loyalty cards.
