The leadership of the Abyei Chamber of Commerce over the weekend said commodity prices have skyrocketed in the area due to the conflict in Sudan.
Chol Kuol, the secretary general of the Abyei Chamber of Commerce told Radio Tamazuj that another reason for high prices is over-taxation along the Wau-Abyei road.
“In Abyei, there is inflation and a 50 kg sack of sugar which was SSP 48,000, is now sold at 67,000, 50 kg of maize flour was SSP 42,000 and currently sells at 56,000, a 90 kg sack of sorghum which was 48,000 now costs 55,000,” he explained. “The prices of goods coming from Juba are also high because of taxation at many checkpoints. Another reason for the upsurge in prices is the high exchange rate of the dollar against the South Sudanese pound, USD 100 is exchanged at SSP 92,000 and this inflates prices here.”
“Prices of building materials are also high because they come from Wau and carriage charges are high and one metric tonne of cement is SSP 60,000 plus road expenses to reach Abyei, so about 400,000 SSP is lost by trader on the way,” Kuol added.
He further said that 20 litres of petrol now costs SSP 40,000 up from 20,000. He said he was hopeful that prices will drop when the fighting in Sudan stops.
“I went to Amiet market on Friday and I saw trucks of goods lined up there. Hopefully, prices will gradually reduce because trucks carrying sorghum and onions come from Sudan and the prices of onions have now reduced from SSP 70,000 to 43,000 per bag in the Amiet market. Sorghum will also reduce because many trucks are on their way to Abyei,” Kuol said.
Meanwhile, Nyabol Chol, an Abyei resident who sells vegetables, said prices shot up and that the people have difficulties feeding their families.
“The food commodities are expensive since the road closed. A cup of sugar was at SSP 200 and it is now 400. However, my vegetables are okay because the supply is within Abyei. Flour and commodities which used to come from Khartoum are expensive,” she said. “300 grams of lentils which cost SSP 300, now sells for 1,000, 350 millilitres of cooking oil is up from 800 to SSP 1,400, and one malwa of groundnuts which was sold at 300 last month has now reached SSP 2,500.”
Another Abyei resident, Yosuf Lal, said the war in Sudan had worsened the living conditions in the area and other parts of South Sudan.
“Before the conflict in Sudan, prices were affordable but now everything is high,” he said. “A sack of sugar is now sold at more than SSP 65,000 and prices of flour and other commodities have also sharply risen.”