Cape Town - Mince frikkadel, once an everyday meal for supper, has become a treat for special occasions for many families, while every piece of meat in a pot of food has to be counted.
This, as producer prices for red meat increased by 14% in October, year-on-year.
While consumers said they had paid about R75 per kg for beef or lamb, the cost was now well over R120.
Confirmation of the stark increases came to light following a parliamentary question by DA legislature MP Andricus Pieter van der Westhuizen to Agriculture MEC Ivan Meyer.
Van der Westhuizen had asked how producer and consumer of red meat in the Western Cape compared to the prices at this time last year, and if there was any deviation, what the reason for it was.
Meyer said the producer prices for meat had increased by 14% in October year-on-year.
“Over the past 12-18 months, the global livestock and meat average prices have increased drastically as the world emerged from Covid-19 and lockdown restrictions.
Animal diseases continue to negatively impact the industry, putting pressure on producer prices,” Meyer said.
He said the South African beef carcass prices had been holding firm since the start of 2022, due to low slaughter numbers, and high input and feed costs underpinned by high grain prices.
“Meat prices in South Africa have been driving food inflation in 2022,” said Meyer.
“Lower slaughter numbers (at 1% over the past nine months), high input and feed costs underpinned by grain prices, herd rebuilding costs, the ongoing Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks and dry conditions in the Western half of the country put production at risk and all contribute to the high red meat prices.”
Bonteheuwel resident and mother, Jennifer Battis, 61, said everything had changed in the last year with her family being forced to reduce their meat consumption.
“I never counted my meat, but since the end of the year, I buy say R300 worth of blade beef, I let them cut it up for me, I count nine pieces in each packet for a family of four.
“You can only have three small pieces of meat, no other choice, you can’t put meat in your pot. I never used to count anything that went into my pot, but nowadays I have to.
“I used to buy five onions, then I got three, now you get only one and the food doesn't taste the same.You can’t buy lamb anymore – can't afford it. Before it was R78 a kg, now it's R120 a kg. I don’t buy a lot of mince only for lasagne, I can’t even make frikkadel because R50 worth of mince is so little.”
In Manenberg, a 49-year-old mother, who asked not to be named and has to feed a family of 10, said polony had become a lifesaver.
“Meat has become very expensive – its not affordable anymore. I have to feed 10 people. Meat used to be cheap, its not so anymore, so I don't give the children meat because it’s just not going to work,” she said.
“Meat is for special occasions, then I buy something that goes far, like mince.”
You can’t buy meat every month with load shedding also, you buy it daily, when you are able to. It’s a struggle. My lifesaver at the moment is french polony, its quick and cheaper and you don't need electricity.”
Cape Times