During a tour conducted by Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday morning at El-Daein market, the capital of East Darfur State, a significant spike in fuel prices was observed. The price of a 4-liter gallon of gasoline surged to 15,000 Sudanese pounds, up from 12,000 pounds.
Additionally, the cost of a sack of flour rose to 40,000 pounds, compared to its earlier price of 25,000 pounds. The price of a sack of lentils also skyrocketed from 30,000 pounds to 60,000 pounds.
Commenting on the situation, Al-Tayyib Eissa Ibrahim, a local resident, explained to Radio Tamazuj, “The deterioration of economic conditions due to the ongoing war and the onset of the autumn season in South Sudan contributed to the rise in consumer goods such as flour, petroleum derivatives, and daily necessities, making it difficult for citizens to obtain them, especially in the absence of salary payments.”
Meanwhile, Al-Sadiq Ali Salih, another citizen, acknowledged the calm security situation in El-Daein but expressed concern over the soaring prices of essential commodities like fuel and flour. He remarked, “The rise in gasoline prices has also led to increased transportation costs between the state capital and its localities.”
Al-Sadiq Ahmed Abdulrahman, the head of the Employers Union in East Darfur State, acknowledged the surge in flour and petroleum product prices in El-Daein.
He attributed the price hikes of goods imported from South Sudan to the strengthening dollar exchange rate against the South Sudanese pound. Additionally, products imported through Al-Dabba or the triangle on the Libyan-Egyptian border were affected by the challenges facing North Darfur State.
Abdulrahman explained, “Traders bringing goods from the Al-Dabba area in North Darfur State face armed looting, with repeated attacks resulting in the theft of goods or cargo trucks. As a result, transportation costs have risen from 2 million to 6 million pounds per trip.”
He noted that the city relies on fuel imported from neighboring areas like Al-Muglad and Al-Nuhud. However, the supply from these regions comes in small transport trucks that fail to meet demand, leading to high transportation costs.
Abdulrahman anticipated a price drop in the near future after resolving the issues on the Al-Dabba route. He highlighted that the price of a sack of flour had decreased from 40,000 pounds to 37,000 pounds, and the price of a 50-kilogram sack of sugar had dropped from 105,000 pounds to 98,000 pounds this morning.