In 2025, South Africans faced rising food prices, especially for meat. Several factors have contributed to these increases, but the key ones are inflation and foot-and-mouth disease FMD.
With overall meat prices up more than 12 year-on-year, South Africans need to prepare to pay more for less meat. This, as food price inflation sees a steep rise in costs, making it the highest since 2018.
December has also seen the cases of FMD increase, especially in Limpopo. Moneyweb reported that most farmers in the province have not been able to sell livestock this festive season, driving demand, therefore resulting in higher prices of meat.
