SA's economic trouble | Food basket increases in March

JOHANNESBURG - More pain for the consumer as the central bank has hiked the repo rate by 50 basis points.

It's all due to rising inflation.

The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group tracks food price data across the country.

READ: Competition Commission launches probe into food prices

Its latest Household Affordability Index shows a marked increase in the basic food basket cost.

It's gone up by almost R40 to nearly R5,000 in March.

This is an increase of just under R40, costing you over R500 than more than a year ago.

READ: Food prices | Year-on-year basket increased by R572.64

PMBEJD Coordinator, Mervyn Abrahams, says there have been exponential increases in certain food items.

"So when we look at 10kgs of potatoes over the last year, it has increased by 52 percent," Abrahams said.

"Same goes for onions, 10kg of onions have increased by 67 ercent.

"So when we compare the R350 social grant of relief, if you get the grant you can't even buy a loaf of bread each day of the month."