Citizens in Bunj town in Maban County of South Sudan’s Upper Nile State are complaining about increasing prices at the market as the local currency dropped to its lowest level yet against the US dollar.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, several residents expressed fear that the prices of commodities may increase further in coming days.
“A sack of sugar increased from 800 SSP to 1,000 SSP, and a small bushel of onions reached 20 SSP,” one local resident said.
A local trader who identified himself as John pointed to increasing transportation costs, besides the unfavourable prices of the US dollar against the South Sudanese Pound as the main reason for the increasing prices.
John said shipping costs from Juba to Bunj is 24 SSP per kilo by air, the main mode of transport.