Carrot Price Surge Drives Up Cost of South African Barbeque Relish

No traditional barbecue in South Africa is complete without chakalaka, a spicy relish that includes carrots and complements the meat and starch in a so-called shisa nyama. The surging price of the root vegetable means consumers may have to pare back consumption of the condiment.

The cost of 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of carrots jumped 23% month-on-month in March, the largest increase of any single ingredient in Bloomberg’s Shisa Nyama Index. That adds to a 30% increase in the cost of the vegetable over the past year.