Economist at the Competition Commission, Andiswa Sibhukwana, has advised consumers to plan ahead for the El Niño climate effects on the food sector.

Several international climate organisations have confirmed that El Niño is back, which has raised concerns of drought and crop damage in South Africa.

It is expected that South Africans could feel the effects in their food basket and wallet by next year.

WATCH | Professor Marc Wegerif discusses food insecurity in South Africa, the drivers of rising food prices and solutions to improve access to affordable, nutritious food. pic.twitter.com/E4SHbq57s1

— SABC News (@SABCNews) July 5, 2026

Meanwhile, data from the Human Sciences Research Council shows that almost 14 million people in South Africa are affected by food insecurity.

High food prices are one of the key concerns.

Sibhukwana says many factors contribute to high food prices.

She highlights that South Africans need to be shielded from the impacts of food insecurity.

WATCH | The United Nations is urging the world to prepare for extreme heat caused by the El Niño weather pattern. SABC News correspondent Laura Westbrook has the details from Hong Kong. pic.twitter.com/OPc7kDkEoO

— SABC News (@SABCNews) June 4, 2026

“Unfortunately, the situation is looking quite bleak. The primary concern is not just the drought itself, from a climate perspective. We saw fuel hikes that happened, electricity hikes; those exogenous factors contribute to the price of food going up substantially higher. From a health perspective, this could lead to malnutrition. Consumers will not afford even the staple like maize meal,” says Sibhukwana.

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