Maize Meal Prices Fall 14% From Last Year
Stats SA data show the 5kg bag averaged R64.85 in September 2026, down from R75.46 a year earlier.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Inflation
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The average price of a 5kg bag of maize meal fell to R64.85 in September 2026, according to Statistics South Africa, compared with R75.46 in September 2025. The drop follows a peak of R77.55 in April 2025.
Why it matters
Maize meal is a staple food for many South African households, so changes in its price directly affect household food budgets. A projection compiled by playcasino.com estimates the price could reach about R126 by 2036 if cereal prices keep rising at the 2019 to 2025 average rate.
Statistics South Africa recorded a 5kg bag of maize meal at an average of R64.85 in September 2026, equal to about R12.97 per kilogram, compared with R75.46 a year earlier. The cereal products index rose about 49% between its 2019 and 2025 annual averages, and the 2036 price projection remains an unverified estimate.
The players
Statistics South Africa
Statistics South Africa is the national agency that compiles the country's official consumer price and cereal price statistics.
Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity group
The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity group is a local advocacy organisation that monitors the cost of a household food basket in the city.
The details
The 2.5kg bag averaged R38.55 in September 2026, or about R15.42 per kilogram. A household food basket group in Pietermaritzburg priced the 30kg maize meal allocation at R289.12 in October 2026. The projection applies the average annual cereal price increase of 6.9% from 2019 to 2025 over a further decade, estimating about R126 for a 5kg bag and about R562 per month for a 30kg allocation by 2036.
Timeline
January 2022: A 5kg bag averaged R52.32, the start of the series cited.
April 2025: The 5kg bag peaked at R77.55 before falling.
September 2025: The 5kg bag averaged R75.46.
September 2026: The 5kg bag averaged R64.85.
2036: Projected price of about R126 for a 5kg bag.
Macro View
The 49% rise in Stats SA's cereal products index between its 2019 and 2025 annual averages marks a sustained run of price growth for staple grains. The 14% fall in the 5kg maize meal price in September 2026 interrupts that trend, though the source does not say whether it will hold.
For households buying maize meal, the September 2026 price of R64.85 for a 5kg bag is about R11 lower than a year earlier. The 30kg allocation priced at R289.12 in October 2026 shows what a monthly staple purchase costs for a family in Pietermaritzburg.
The takeaway
Maize meal prices have moved sharply in recent years, so households should track monthly Stats SA releases rather than assume a single lower reading will persist. Budgeting for a range of possible prices is a practical response to this volatility.
Further reading
For more on how food costs are tracked over time, see Inflation coverage on South Africa.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Scrolla.
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