Warrap state capital Kuajok is in a celebratory mood following the announcement of a subsidy that has seen a fifty percent reduction in the price of sorghum. Residents said that they could now afford this staple food.
On Monday this week, the Warrap state government announced that a malwa of sorghum in the Kuajok market would be sold at SSP 1,000 instead of SSP 2,000.
Radio Tamazuj spoke to sorghum buyers in the Kuajok market, who shared their opinion about this new policy by the state government.
Nyariak Riing, a tea seller in Kuajok, said the price is fine but is worried that the price will rise within a few days. She argued that women in the state already face many challenges since they did not have well-paid jobs.
“It is good now with us because we can afford it, but when it rises, it will be bad for women who don’t have well-paid jobs to buy sorghums. So we want malwa to remain at its fixed price of SSP 1,000 so that peasants can afford it,” she explained.
She added: “The government has done something good and we want it to continue like that and create more sales centres. By doing this, the government has fed us.”
Ayen Manhiem bought 30 malwas of sorghum and said she was happy with the government for supplying sorghum. She also advised the government to address the problem of congestion in the Kuajok market, which she said was caused by the small number of sales points.
“Today I am very happy with the government for bringing dura; one malwa sells at SSP 1,000. I bought one sack of dura which contains 30 malwas at SSP 30,000 and if it continues like this, it will be good and I want also the government to open more sales centres to avoid congestion in Kuajok town,” she advised.
“I am actually happy with the government for the supply of sorghum, bringing the price of a malwa to SSP 1,000. It is something good, especially for average-living people who cannot afford to buy food for themselves at high prices since the flood destroyed the dura last year,” Christine Agat explained.
Agat called on the state government to increase the supply of food items to areas of the state that has been severely affected by hunger. She said most vulnerable people in the state do not have access to affordable food.
The Acting governor of Warrap State, Amiir Amet, has appreciated President Salva Kiir and Warrap Governor Manhiem for the supply of sorghum that is now being sold at subsidized prices in the state capital and other counties of the state.
She also revealed: “You saw last week the launch of distribution and dispatch of sorghum to 42 Payams and six counties. Kuajok municipal council was given 2,000 sacks of sorghum which means all residents can buy malwa at SSP 1,000.”
Amet has said government employees can access sorghum at their respective cooperatives at the same affordable price of SSP 1,000 per malwa.
“All government workers are directed to buy from cooperatives at the subsidized price. The limit is one sack per person. It is not allowed for one person to buy more than one sack. The process will be monitored and supervised by members of a management committee at the state and county levels,” she declared.
The Acting governor assured the public that her government would monitor the situation, and in the event of a shortage, an additional supply of sorghum would be delivered to the state capital and the counties.
Warrap State is among those states hit hard by flooding last year. Heavy rains destroyed farms forcing once-thriving farming communities to depend on food aid for survival.
President Salva Kiir has instructed the national minister of Finance to buy food for Warrap and Northern Bahr El Ghazal states. This is not the first time President Kiir has had to procure food commodities from Sudan to feed people facing hunger in the Bahr el Ghazal region.