National food basket remains bare

THE majority of Namibians can’t afford most of the food in the national food basket used to compile a poverty profile in the country.

Nearly 60 per cent of the sample population used by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) in their Review of Poverty and Inequality in Namibia consume maize meal, grain, samp, sugar, bread and beef.However, 78 per cent can’t buy fresh milk.Few can afford fish and chicken. For 82 per cent of people, chicken is a luxury, while 75 per cent have to do without fresh fish. Bottled or tinned fish falls outside the budget of 81 per cent of consumers.Vegetables are equally out of reach.Only 17 per cent of consumers can afford potatoes and only 21 per cent onions, while tomatoes are on the shopping list of only 18 per cent of people.A mere 14 per cent of Namibians buy fruit juice or squashes.Just under half of all households, 48 per cent, have money for cooking oil.Rice is included in only 35 per cent of consumers’ shopping baskets, while only 22 per cent can buy macaroni, spaghetti and noodles.Only 29 per cent can treat themselves to sweets and only 34 per cent to soft drinks.Similarly, tea and coffee are found in few households – 85 per cent of people can’t afford coffee and 79 per cent can’t buy tea.jo-mare@namibian.com.na