South African braai costs heat up

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South African braai costs are heating up as prices soar in 2025.

If you’re planning a braai this month, prepare to spend significantly more.

The latest South African Braai Index reveals that the cost of a typical braai basket has surged by 4.0% month-on-month and 4.03% year-on-year, far outpacing general inflation.

This price spike underscores a harsh reality for South African households: grilling now costs more than ever in 2025, even if prices haven’t yet hit previous record highs.

Vegetables drive the biggest price hikes

The Pietermaritzburg Equity Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) group, in collaboration with Bloomberg, compiles the monthly Braai Index by tracking prices of essential braai ingredients.

In April, vegetables took the lead in driving up costs:

Tomatoes shot up by 26%

Carrots increased by 20%

These sharp hikes highlight the volatility in basic food prices.

Maize meal becomes a major cost culprit

Over the past year, maize meal has emerged as the biggest driver of long-term cost increases, spiking 21% since April 2024. The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) attributes this to global and local supply disruptions.

South Africa’s maize prices have surged due to:

Low stock levels following poor 2024 harvests
Strong demand from neighboring countries
A delayed 2025 planting season
Global issues, including Brazil’s shrinking supply and crop issues in Argentina

Meat prices on the rise again

After a brief dip in March, beef prices are climbing again – and they’re not slowing down. In April, beef carcass prices jumped 32%, soaring from R56 to R74 per kilogram.

Thabile Nkunjana, Senior Agricultural Economist at the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), explained on The Money Show: “We usually see a decline in commercial livestock early in the year because farmers are coming from a higher slaughtering number for the festive season. But this is being exacerbated now.”

He cited several contributing factors:

A shortage of slaughter-ready cattle
High feed costs caused by extreme weather patterns – drought followed by heavy rains
Lower grain yields, which have pushed up feed prices and stalled livestock readiness

“The higher cost of feed will limit some of the farmers’ ability to bring their animals to abattoirs because they’re not ready for market,” Nkunjana added.

Red meats supply tight but not depleted

Despite the spike, Dewald Olivier from Red Meat Industry Services offered some reassurance, telling Channel Africa: “There isn’t actually a shortage of beef – just a temporary tightening of supply.”

Still, consumers are feeling the pinch as prices trend upward across the board.

Mixed trends in other meats

While beef is blazing hot, the poultry market has cooled, thanks to international price trends and favourable exchange rates.

Pig and sheep meat, not tracked in the PMBEJD Braai Index – have ticked slightly upward, reflecting global increases and the ongoing challenge of high feed costs.

If you’re firing up the grill this April, expect higher prices for nearly every essential braai item. From maize meal to meat, South Africans are feeling the heat – long before the fire even starts.