KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
• The proportion of households relying on purchase as the main source of food at the household level was 34.5 percent, which is 20.6 percentage points lower than the 55.1 percent recorded same time last year. The proportion of households relying on purchase as the main source of food is higher than the 33.2 percent in the first half of September. The southern region recorded the highest proportion of households relying on purchase as the main source of food estimated at 48.2 percent.
• In households owning any type of livestock, the proportion of households reporting suspected livestock diseases was 23.1 percent which is similar to the 23.1 percent in the first half of September and slightly lower than the 25.5 percent at the same time last year. The southern and northern regions recorded the highest proportion of households reporting livestock diseases estimated at 25.9 percent in the southern region and 25.8 percent in the northern region.
• The proportion of households involved in fishing related livelihoods activities was 1.8 percent down from 2.0 percent in the first half of September but lower than the 3.6 percent same time last year. The northern region recorded the highest proportion of households involved in fishing related activities (3.6 percent same as 3.7 percent). Households involved in fishing related activities reporting some suspected fish diseases was 25.3 up from 23.1 percent in the first half of September but lower than the 53.5 percent same time last year. The northern region continues to register the highest proportion of households reporting some suspected fish diseases (40.6 percent down from 52.6 percent in the first half of September).
• The average price of maize per kg was MK146.24, which is lower than the MK180.00/kg same time last year. The average maize price is slightly lower than the MK147.29/kg in the first half of September first half of September. The southern region continued to record the highest average maize prices per kg at MK163.8, which is lower than the MK202.8/kg same time last year.
• The average crop prices per kg were MK716.71 up from MK673.41 for rice, MK831.37 up from MK727.25 for groundnuts, MK491.44 up from MK438.89 for Irish potatoes compared to same time last year.
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations