Sudan prime minister exempts essential food items from customs and taxes

October 26, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris issued a decision on Monday to exempt several basic food commodities from customs duties and taxes, including value-added tax.

The decision also lifts a ban on importing certain food items and other goods.

The move aims to ease the cost of living and ensure citizens have access to essential goods.

Sudanese markets are seeing a continued rise in consumer prices.

The ongoing depreciation of the Sudanese pound, high inter-state transportation costs, and fuel shortages are driving this surge.

The cabinet’s media office said in a press statement on Monday that the exempted goods include flour, lentils, rice, fava beans, cooking oils, beans, chickpeas, and peas.

The statement did not specify the other goods covered by the decision to lift the import ban.

It directed the ministries of finance, industry, and trade, along with customs forces, the General Intelligence Service, and other relevant bodies, to implement the decisions.

The cabinet said the decisions stem from the government’s commitment to easing living costs and providing basic commodities.

Transitional Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had directed the lifting of the import ban and the customs exemption on basic food items last Wednesday.

The National Chamber of Importers welcomed the directives and called for their translation into an official and explicit decree.

The chamber also requested a reduction in the customs exchange rate and the cancellation of the Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) system to facilitate import procedures and lower their costs.

Last April, the Sudanese cabinet banned the import of more than 40 commodities, describing them as luxury and non-essential items.

That step aimed to curb exchange rate volatility in parallel markets, encourage local industries, and support the national economy.