9% More for Beef: What the Rising Cost of a Braai Really Means
There are numbers that float past us in headlines. And then some numbers land directly on the dinner table.
Nineteen percent is not abstract. It is not theoretical. It is not confined to an economic report. It is the difference between a manageable grocery bill and one that makes you pause at the till. Over the past year, beef prices in South Africa have climbed by 19%. And for a country where the braai is more than just a meal, that increase carries weight.
The primary driver behind this surge is foot and mouth disease. While the phrase sounds clinical and distant, its impact is immediate. Outbreaks disrupt livestock movement, reduce supply, and create uncertainty in the agricultural sector. When supply tightens and demand remains steady, prices rise. It is basic economics, but the consequences ripple outward quickly.
Beef does not exist in isolation. The latest price index shows that increases are not limited to one product. Chicken, vegetables, maize meal and samp have also seen upward movement. That means the cost of a typical braai has risen across the board. The protein is more expensive. The sides are more expensive. Even the staples that stretch a meal further are under pressure.
Economists warn that this is not a short-lived spike. Inflation in beef prices could continue until at least April before easing. That timeline matters. It signals that households may need to adjust budgets for several more months. It also suggests that relief, when it comes, will likely be gradual rather than dramatic.
So what does adaptation look like?
One option is substitution. Pork remains a more affordable alternative, even if it is not always highlighted in mainstream price tracking indices. Chicken, notably, is already the most consumed protein in South Africa, followed by beef, eggs and then pork. That consumption pattern tells its own story. Households are already making pragmatic choices.
But substitution is not simply about switching meats. It reflects something deeper about the current economic environment. South Africans have become increasingly agile shoppers. We compare prices more closely. We adjust menus. We reconsider traditions, even temporarily. The braai may remain sacred, but what goes on the grid might shift.
Food inflation has a particular emotional resonance because it touches daily life. Electricity tariffs can rise, fuel prices can fluctuate, and interest rates can change. Those are significant. But
food is immediate. It is routine. It is cultural. When the price of beef climbs by nearly a fifth in a year, the impact feels personal.
There is also a broader lens to consider. Agricultural disease outbreaks highlight structural vulnerabilities within supply chains. They expose how quickly disruptions can translate into consumer cost pressure. And they underline the importance of biosecurity, disease management and responsive policy in stabilising markets.
For now, the message to consumers is one of awareness rather than alarm. Prices are elevated. Pressure may persist until April. Alternatives exist. Planning matters.
Nineteen percent is not just a statistic. It is a reminder that behind every data point sits a household recalculating, adapting and finding ways to keep the fire going.
And that, perhaps, is the quiet resilience behind the numbers.
Catch up on all Number of the Day episodes here: https://www.enca.com/number-day-podcast