Commodity prices skyrocket in Western Bahr el Ghazal state

October 28, 2015 (WAU) – Prices of commodities in South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal state have risen up owing to what authorities and local traders attribute to the lack of hard currencies and generally high costs of living.

Also on the rise are prices of maize flour, sorghum and other essential food items.

“The price of a tea cup has increased because we are buying a kilo of sugar at 20 pounds [SSP],” said Mary Akele, a vendor in Wau town.

“Tea requires lots of tea leaves and other materials used for making tea have become expensive and businessmen say dollar problem,” she added.

While most fuel stations remain closed, prices have not been the same either. A one litre bottle of fuel now costs SSP 70 pounds in open markets within the border state.

Ali Hassan, a cyclist, said fuel shortages forced the motorist increase prices because they are not getting profit since fuel prices shot up in recent days.

“We can anytime reduce prices if fuel is available at the [various] stations,” he said.

Mohamed Romadan, a businessman in Wau town, anticipates that prices of goods would not go down unless roads to Sudan were opened and the high exchange rates of dollars reduce from current prices in black markets.

A dollar at the black market in Wau town is currently valued at SSP 16, traders say.

(ST)