The Sunday Mail
Desire Ncube
Zimbabwe’s Food Poverty Line for an average household has declined by 0,6 percent, according to latest research by the National Statistical Agency.
Market watchers attribute this to falling basic commodity prices occasioned by plunging oil prices.
In August 2015, one person required US$31,04 for sustenance and then US$30, 86 in September, meaning on average, a Zimbabwean citizen can survive on US$1, 03 per day.
The FPL represents minimum consumption expenditure that ensures every household member can — if all expenditures were devoted to food — consume a minimum food basket representing 2 100 calories.
A citizen whose total consumption expenditure does not exceed the FPL is deemed to be very poor.
In September 2015, the Total Consumption Poverty Line was US$97,31, the amount one needed to purchase non-food and food items.
The TCPL for an average of five people was US$486,56, compared to US$489, 41 the previous month.
However, the benchmark varies province by province.
