Meat prices in Rwanda’s urban areas increased by 33.8% in July 2026 compared to July 2025, while prices rose by 17.8% between June and July 2026, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).
Meat was among the food categories that recorded the biggest price increases during July 2026. The rise contributed 1.1 percentage points to the annual increase in the urban CPI, despite meat accounting for only 2% of the Urban Consumer Price Index basket.
Food Prices Continue to Increase
Overall, prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages in urban areas increased by 13.1% compared with July 2025, while food prices rose by 1.5% between June and July 2026.
Other food categories also recorded notable increases. Vegetable prices rose by 19.8% year-on-year, although they declined by 0.8% between June and July. Bread and cereals increased by 7%, while milk, cheese and eggs rose by 5.9%.
Rift Valley Fever Restrictions Affect Supply
The sharp increase in meat prices comes as Rwanda continues to monitor outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever, a livestock disease that can also affect humans. Measures, including livestock movement controls and restrictions on activities that could contribute to the spread of the disease, have been introduced in affected areas.
Some meat traders say the restrictions have affected the supply of meat in markets, contributing to higher prices. In some areas, the price of a kilogram of meat reportedly increased from around Rwf 7,000 to between Rwf 12,000 and Rwf 13,000.
NISR Reports Price Changes, Not Specific Causes
However, the NISR CPI report does not identify a specific cause for the sharp increase in meat prices. The report primarily measures changes in consumer prices during the period.
Therefore, while traders have linked supply disruptions to the increase, the reported figures should not be interpreted as NISR confirming Rift Valley Fever restrictions as the direct cause of the price surge.
Rwanda’s Overall Inflation Remains High
Overall, Rwanda’s urban CPI increased by 14.5% in July 2026 compared with July 2025, while prices increased by 0.9% between June and July.
Nationwide, the CPI increased by 13.8%, with rural areas recording a 13.3% increase over the same period.
