Food and fuel prices skyrocket in Nyala amid fears of famine
July 31, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Prices of goods and fuel in theSouth Darfur capital of Nyala have increased significantly during the hot holy month of Ramadan due to the rampant insecurity in the state.
Reports from Nyala say the price of an ice-sheet reached 125 Sudanese pound (SDG) due to lack of electricity while the price of onion bag reached 60 pound and the price of a flour sack exceeded 210 pound.
Also a litres of gasoline is sold at 17.5 SDG while 3 pieces of tomatoes cost 10 pound. Local transportation fees have also increased significantly.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) had previously warned of famine in the states of Darfur and Kordofan due to the mounting number of armed conflicts, agricultural deterioration, and internal displacement.
Traders in Nyala’s grand market said that prices have risen by 500% and demanded the federal government to intervene, adding that state’s government failed to curb the rise in the prices of goods and fuel.
The governor of West Darfur state has recently admitted the failure of the Darfur states to control prices due to high cost of transport.
Ahmed Abbakar, a resident of Nyala said that he bought a gallon of gasoline at the price of 50 pound SDG after following a one-kilometre long queue.
The inflation is seen as result of the deteriorated security situation in the state as attacks on commercial convoys destined to South Darfur have led to a sharp decrease in supply of food and fuel.
Last March, due to the shaky security situation, Nyala Chamber of Commerce handed South Darfur’s governor a memo asking for securing individuals, traders, commercial raft, Nyala night markets and the movement of commercial convoys.
(ST)