Prices of some of the most widely consumed food staples in Angolan households rose an average of 8% in informal markets between January and June this year, driven primarily by an 18% surge in the price of a 20-kg box of horse mackerel and a 15% jump in cooking oil, according to data compiled by Expansão. In the formal retail sector, prices at supermarkets increased by 5% over the same period.
A basket of 22 products tracked by Expansão — with prices gathered from informal markets — rose from 125,091 kwanzas in January to 134,606 kwanzas by the end of June, an increase of 8%, or 9,515 kwanzas in just six months. The rise, recorded at the Catinton and Asa Branca markets in Luanda, was driven primarily by a 9,000-kwanza increase in the price of a 20-kg box of horse mackerel and a 3,800-kwanza rise in the price of a 12-litre box of Tio Lucas cooking oil.
The sharp rise in fish prices is linked to the annual ban on horse mackerel fishing, which runs from 1 July to 31 August. The moratorium is imposed each year to protect the species during its reproductive season, helping to preserve marine resources and ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishing industry.
Moving in the opposite direction, the steepest price declines were recorded in musseque flour, whose average price per kilogramme fell 50% to 621 kwanzas — a tin that sold for 900 kwanzas in January fell to an average of 450 kwanzas by end-June. Prices also fell for a carton of 30 eggs (down 1,450 kwanzas) and a 10-kg box of chicken. Separately, vegetable prices at the Catinton market rose more sharply in June than they had in January.
A kilogramme of tomatoes, which cost 667 kwanzas in January, had risen to 1,508 kwanzas by June, while a kilogramme of bell pepper climbed from 500 kwanzas to 1,453 kwanzas over the same period. These movements reflect the classic dynamics of seasonality: reduced supply combined with sustained demand pushes prices higher, while abundant supply has the opposite effect.
In the formal retail sector, average prices also rose at the three supermarket chains — Maxi, Kero and Candando — where Expansão tracks prices. The largest increases were recorded in Gallo olive oil (up 2,500 kwanzas), Mimosa liquid milk (up 617 kwanzas) and Fula cooking oil (up 505 kwanzas). The main price decrease was in horse mackerel per kilogramme, which fell by 1,125 kwanzas.
In the case of horse mackerel in supermarkets, the price decline is attributed to the smaller size of the fish available in the last week of June compared with January.
Seasonality continues to exert a pronounced influence on price formation in informal markets: the greater the supply, the lower the price. On a daily basis, a box of tomatoes can range from 15,000 to 19,000 kwanzas at the Catinton market, a net of rena potatoes from 25,000 to 30,000 kwanzas, and a net of onions from 40,000 to 60,000 kwanzas.
A trader at the Catinton market who asked not to be identified said the market receives produce primarily from the provinces of Cunene Sul, Benguela, Huambo and Huíla, but that arrivals are often in small quantities. “Prices here change every day and we have to reduce the quantities we sell in order to make a profit, because many suppliers bring in only small volumes and sell at higher prices,” she said.
The broader population continues to face significant hardship in meeting its daily food needs. To ease the burden, many households resort to the informal practice known as ‘sócia’, in which two or more people pool resources to purchase a product and divide it between them. Maria T., whose household comprises nine members, spends an average of 190,000 to 200,000 kwanzas per month on food — a sum she says is often insufficient to cover all of the family’s nutritional needs throughout the month.
“I shop at the Catinton market and to make my purchases last the whole month I have to do a ‘sócia’ on four or five types of fresh produce, spending about 110,000 kwanzas on average. Fresh items are the most expensive and they don’t last. Vegetables are also getting more and more expensive — you can’t find onions priced at 200 kwanzas a bunch anymore. Four medium peppers cost 500 kwanzas,” she said.
Emanuela T., who shops fortnightly at the Kero supermarket, said she had noticed the biggest changes in products such as powdered milk, eggs and beans, among others. “Between January and June, prices went up a lot. At home we are seven people and we spend an average of 300,000 kwanzas,” she said.
The data underscores the persistent pressure that food price inflation is placing on Angolan households, particularly those with larger families, as seasonal supply constraints and structural logistics challenges continue to drive volatility in both formal and informal retail channels.
Source: Expansão
