Food Poverty Line up 0,8pc

Malvern Nkomo

Latest statistics released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) for March 2023 reveal that the Food Poverty line (FPL) for an individual stood at $22 561 which highlights a 0.8 percent increase from last month’s $22 386.

The Total Consumption Poverty Line (TCPL) for the same person stood at $29 788 from the previous $29 563 in February in 2023 which translates to a 0,76 percent increase.

The FPL, which is naturally lower than TCPL, represents how much an average person requires to be able to afford the minimum daily food basket cost per month.

On the other hand, the TCPL incorporates both food and non-food commodities and indicates how much an individual requires to purchase these items for them not to be deemed poor.

In comparative terms with last year’s official figures FPL for the same period was $7 062 pointing out a 219,5 percent surge while the TCPL hit $9 708 in 2022 translating to a 206,7 percent compared to the statistics for March 2023.

ZimStat also revealed that the cheapest Province to live in was the Midlands Province with a TCPL of $22 942 per month for them not to be considered poor.

The most expensive province for the month of March was Manicaland with its TCPL per capita (average per person) hitting $34 572.

Harare- the biggest province by population had a TCPL of $32 017,46 while it costs $30 864,51 for someone in Bulawayo not to be deemed as poor.

ZimStat said in a statement “The poverty datum lines vary by province as prices vary from place to place and the differences are explained by differences in average prices in the provinces.

“The quantities of commodities consumed at base year in the minimum needs basket which is consistent with the preferences of the poor individuals and households in Zimbabwe are fixed”.