Own Correspondent
Price of basic commodities shooting up dailyZimbabwe’s poverty datum line (PDL) jumped from $6 420 (PDL) in March to $7 425 in April representing a 15,7 percent increase, official figures show.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat), the PDL measures the basic needs for an average family of five.
Data released on Monday by the agency indicate that the Total Consumption Poverty Line (TCPL) for an average family of five stood at $7 425 in April compared to $6 420 in March.
The agency, however, said the PDL varies by province as prices vary from place to place.
In this light, the TCPL for an average household in April 2020 ranged from $6 296 in Mashonaland Central province to $8 939 in Matabeleland North province.
“The differences are explained by differences in average prices in the provinces,” said Zimstat.
According to the agency, the TCPL is a combination of food and non-food items that an average family requires for it not to be deemed poor.
The TCPL for Zimbabwe stood at $1 485 per person in April which means that an individual required that much to buy both food and non-food items per month.