The city of Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur State, is experiencing unprecedented inflation in the prices of consumer goods and food supplies. Essential commodities have surged dramatically, with a sack of sugar now costing 125,000 Sudanese pounds (SDG).
The price of cooking oil has soared from 35,000 to 55,000 SDG per jerrycan within two weeks, and the price of flour has reached 50,000 SDG per 50-kilogram sack, causing bread prices to rise. Additionally, meat prices now range between 5,000 and 6,000 SDG per kilogram.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, citizens have expressed clear dissatisfaction with the continuous rise in prices, which has severely impacted their living standards. Ahmed Idris, a local resident, stated, “Living conditions have become extremely difficult,” highlighting that high prices have imposed harsh conditions on the community.
Idris called on the authorities to address the plight of the citizens and urged humanitarian organizations to expedite aid to the region, where people are now suffering from a lack of basic necessities.
Idris, a local resident who turned to farming after losing his job, noted, “Fuel prices have skyrocketed, with a gallon now costing 16,000 SDG. This has hampered our ability to farm, as we cannot afford the costs.” He described the situation as unprecedented.
In a related context, Musa Gar, a bread seller, explained that the increase in bread prices is due to the significant rise in the cost of imported flour from neighboring countries, with each loaf now costing 200 SDG.
Despite understanding the reasons behind the bread price hike, Gar expressed his dismay at the challenging living conditions, placing his hope in God as the only refuge capable of improving the country’s circumstances.
An activist described the situation in Zalingei as catastrophic, incomparable to the city’s past when it thrived in production and export. Now, Zalingei witnesses almost daily price increases in goods, severely affecting the citizens’ lives.
The activist warned that Zalingei is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster, with a potential famine and a notable shortage of medicines and children’s food, urgently calling for immediate intervention by humanitarian organizations to avert what he described as a catastrophe.