Highlights 

◼ Average retail prices of common bean, soybeans, pigeon peas and groundnuts increased by 4 to 12 per-
cent. 

◼ Average retail prices of sweet potatoes and irish potatoes increased by 10 and 35 percent respectively 
while cassava prices decreased by 6 percent. 

◼ Average retail prices of rice and sorghum increased by  2 and 7 percent respectively.  

Legumes 

Table 1. Retail prices (MWK/kg) of common beans and pigeon pea by region during December 

2021 

 

Note: - = commodity not monitored or prices not reported in this market. 

Market N
o
v
 2

7

D
e
c
 4

D
e
c
 1

1

D
e
c
 1

8

D
e
c
 2

5

N
o
v
 2

7

D
e
c
 4

D
e
c
 1

1

D
e
c
 1

8

D
e
c
 2

5

B
e
a
n

P
.p

e
a

North 889 968 954 1021 1029 421 421 447 447 447 16% 6%

Jenda 883 900 950 900 1000 - - - - - 13% -

Karonga-boma 888 888 888 1067 1000 421 421 447 447 447 13% 6%

Mzuzu 900 1150 1025 1075 1100 - - - - - 22% -

Center 1200 1125 1150 1217 1283 - - - - - 7% -

Chimbiya 1200 1000 1000 1200 1300 - - - - - 8% -

Mchinji 1200 1200 1200 1150 1200 - - - - - 0% -

Mitundu 1200 1300 1400 1300 1350 - - - - - 13% -

South 1160 1160 1150 1250 1360 650 629 664 733 700 17% 8%

Balaka 1350 1350 1300 1475 1600 775 725 775 850 700 19% -10%

Bangula 1000 1000 1000 900 1000 - 0% -

Lunzu 1100 1100 1150 1200 1300 600 600 600 800 750 18% 25%

Mangochi - - - - - 700 700 800 800 800 - 14%

Ngabu - - - - - 525 525 550 575 600 - 14%

All markets 1081 1067 1077 1150 1206 625 603 637 692 668 12% 7%

Common bean Pigeon pea since Nov 27

Change

This price bulletin was developed by researchers at IFPRI Malawi with the goal of providing clear and 

accurate information on the weekly variation of retail prices for selected agricultural commodities that 

are important for food security and nutrition in Malawi. The reports are intended as a resource for 

those interested in agricultural markets in Malawi. 

 

DECEMBER 2021  Price Bulletin #15a for Selected Legumes, Roots & Tubers, and other Cereals  



2 
 

Table 2. Retail prices (MWK/kg) of soybean and groundnut by region during December 2021 

 
 
Note: - = prices not reported from this market; soybean and groundnut are priced per kilogram 

Roots and Tubers 

Figure 1. Regional average retail prices (MWK/unit) of cassava, Irish potato, and sweet potato     

during December 2021 

 

Market N
o
v
 2

7

D
e
c
 4

D
e
c
 1

1

D
e
c
 1

8

D
e
c
 2

5

N
o
v
 2

7

D
e
c
 4

D
e
c
 1

1

D
e
c
 1

8

D
e
c
 2

5

S
o
y
b
e
a
n

G
ro

u
n
d
n
u
t

North 1033 1088 1075 1117 1200 1007 993 1007 1021 1036 16% 3%

Jenda - - - - - 783 750 783 933 950 - 21%

Karonga-boma 1100 1133 1200 1200 1200 1250 1250 1250 1200 1200 9% -4%

Mzuzu 900 950 950 950 - 1100 1100 1100 750 800 6% -27%

Center 910 1030 1000 1000 1025 993 956 1012 1040 1058 13% 7%

Chimbiya 817 983 900 1000 1017 885 860 890 900 917 13% 4%

Mchinji 1200 1200 1200 1000 1000 1200 1200 1200 1200 1200 -17% 0%

Mitundu 900 1000 1000 1000 1100 1000 1000 1000 1000 1200 22% 20%

South 1225 1263 1220 1263 1288 1220 1250 1225 1280 1280 5% 5%

Balaka 1200 1225 1250 1325 1275 1350 1375 1300 1350 1350 6% 0%

Bangula - - - - - - - -

Lunzu 1200 1200 1100 1000 1000 - - -

Mangochi 1300 1400 1400 1400 1600 1200 1300 1400 1500 1500 23% 25%

Ngabu - - - - - 1100 1100 1100 1100 1100 - 0%

All markets 1046 1119 1108 1108 1142 1070 1058 1060 1103 1111 9% 4%

Change

Soyabean Groundnut since Nov 27

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

North Center South North Center South South

Cassava Irish potato Sweet potato

P
ri
c
e
 

(M
W

K
/u

in
t)

Dec 4 Dec 11 Dec 18 Dec 25



3 
 

Table 3. Retail prices of roots and tubers (MWK/unit) during December 2021 

 

Note: - = prices not reported from this market; cassava and Irish potatoes are priced per kilogram; sweet potatoes are priced per heap. 

Other Cereals 

Figure 2. Regional average retail prices (MWK/kg) of rice during December 2021

Change

Commodity Market Nov 27 Dec 4 Dec 11 Dec 18 Dec 25 since Nov 27

Cassava North 337 260 275 371 285 -15%

Mpamba 320 - 200 - 250 -22%

Mzuzu 371 260 313 371 320 -14%

Nkhatabay-boma 320 - - - - -

Center 307 256 355 411 366 19%

Chinkhoma 307 256 355 411 366 19%

Kaw amba - - - - - -

Mitundu - - - - - -

South 322 312 304 317 297 -8%

Limbe 323 271 280 280 280 -13%

Namw era turn-off 320 373 320 353 315 -2%

All markets 324 296 306 341 304 -6%

Sweet potato South 309 325 323 325 322 4%

Bangw e 221 221 208 217 221 0%

Chilobw e 333 333 333 333 333 0%

Chinakanaka 333 417 389 333 467 40%

Ndirande 350 333 333 417 333 -5%

Zingw anga 333 - - - - -

All markets 309 325 323 325 339 10%

Irish potato North - 956 1000 683 1000 5%

Jenda - 956 1000 683 1000 5%

Center 423 402 475 434 458 8%

Lizulu-Lilongw e 500 600 600 500 500 0%

Lizulu 387 380 400 400 450 16%

Tsangano turn-off 400 325 425 420 400 0%

South 333 424 429 511 462 39%

Blantyre market 300 348 348 417 437 46%

Limbe 400 500 550 700 500 25%

All markets 426 530 538 495 576 35%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Center North South South

Rice Sorghum

A
v
e
ra

g
e
 p

ri
c
e

(M
W

K
/k

g
)

Dec 4 Dec 11 Dec 18 Dec 25

[Grab your 

reader’s at-

tention with 

a great 

quote from 



 

For further information contact 

Aubrey Jolex (a.jolex@cgiar.org) at IFPRI Malawi. 

To learn more about our work, visit https://massp.ifpri.info or follow us on Twitter (@IFPRIMalawi). 

 

Photos: IFPRI Malawi 

 

Table 4. Retail prices of other cereals (MWK/kg) during December 2021 

 

Note: - = prices not reported from this market; rice and sorghum are priced per kilogram 

How data were collected 

With financial support from the European Union, IFPRI Malawi began monitoring retail prices of selected legumes, roots 

and tubers, and non-maize cereals* in selected markets in December 2020. Currently, prices are collected from 44 mar-

kets across the country, with monitoring occurring once per week. Three monitors report prices from each market. Data is 

collected by means of automated short message service (SMS) with follow-ups made by telephone the next day if needed. 

The commodities monitored are being phased-in, starting with legumes, root crops and other cereals, and then expanding 

to include livestock products and fish by the end of March 2021. Note that the number of markets monitored vary by com-

modity because major markets are targeted in areas where these commodities are widely produced. 

* daily retail prices for maize are available from our monthly maize market reports 

 

 

 

 

 

Change

Commodity Market Nov 27 Dec 4 Dec 11 Dec 18 Dec 25 since Nov 27

Rice North 629 654 635 608 625 -1%

Karonga-boma 700 800 700 675 700 0%

Mzimba-boma 850 750 700 800 800 -6%

Nkhatabay-boma 600 620 650 600 600 0%

Pusi 650 650 650 650 725 12%

Wovw e 508 537 520 483 483 -7%

Center 650 667 667 700 700 8%

Nkhotakota-boma 650 600 600 700 700 17%

Salima-kamuzu road 650 700 700 700 700 8%

South 623 633 647 641 644 3%

Chiringa 633 650 633 617 633 0%

Phalombe 683 700 700 700 683 0%

Songani 553 570 615 607 600 -1%

All markets 629 649 643 632 641 2%

Sorghum South 333 350 350 375 375 13%

Chikw aw a 300 325 325 350 350 17%

Ngabu - - - - - -

Nsanje 400 400 400 400 400 0%

All markets 350 350 350 375 375 7%

mailto:a.jolex@cgiar.org
https://massp.ifpri.info/
https://twitter.com/IFPRIMalawi
http://massp.ifpri.info/resources/maize-market-report/