When Every Pula Demands Hard Choices

At a butcher in Gaborone, meat is selling at about P120/kg, compared to around P60/kg in previous periods, reflecting broader price pressures affecting households across Botswana. The Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) has listed a range of premium beef cuts at its Lobatse, Broadhurst and BAMB Grand Store outlets as consumers continue to face rising food costs. According to prices published through BMC public relations platforms, fillet is priced at P305.55/kg, while ribeye and striploin are selling at P216.60/kg and P212.05/kg respectively.

Rump heart is listed at P159.60/kg, topside at P156.20/kg, and eyeround at P125.40/kg. Silverside flats fat on is priced at P117.45/kg, knuckle at P116.30/kg, and stewing beef at P85.50/kg. The increases come as Botswana experiences broader inflationary pressure, with the annual inflation rate recorded at 10.3 percent in April 2026.

In the southern parts of the country, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) restrictions have limited farmers’ ability to slaughter cattle, tightening supply and contributing to upward pressure on beef prices, alongside wider inflation affecting essential goods including vegetables, fuel, cooking essentials, and transport costs. For many households, the shift has turned routine grocery shopping into a calculation of priorities and trade-offs. “Every week when I go shopping, something has gone up again,” said 33-year-old gym instructor Lesly Molatlhegi.

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“Meat is now a luxury. I only buy it once in a while, not like before. Most of the time we eat simpler meals just to survive the month.” He added that shopping decisions are now more deliberate.

“You stand in the shop and you start removing things from your basket. You ask yourself: do I need this, or can I leave it?” Transport costs are also adding pressure for commuters who rely on taxis or buses, forcing some to adjust travel habits or reduce spending elsewhere. Tertiary student Kefilwe Sepotoka said the impact extends beyond food.

“It’s not just food. Transport to campus, data, printing—everything is expensive now. Sometimes I skip meals just to make sure I have money to get to school.” Small businesses are similarly affected.

Onalenna Mogale, who operates a fruit and vegetable stall in Broadhurst, said rising supplier prices are affecting her margins. “Customers complain that things are expensive, but even for us to restock, it costs more every week,” she said. “It’s like pressure from both sides.” A restaurant owner in Village, Gaborone, who requested anonymity, said pricing decisions have become increasingly difficult. The restaurant sells a plate of food for P45.00.

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