The inhabitants of the border town of Warawar in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State’s Aweil East County have expressed distress after food prices started increasing unexpectedly in local markets.
According to a recent local market survey obtained by Radio Tamazuj and statements from residents over the weekend, the sharp increase in commodity prices started at the beginning of September. A kilogram of meat which used to cost between SSP 7,000 and 8,000 shot up to 15,000. 25 kg of wheat flour now goes for 120,000 up from 80,000.
One of the town’s dwellers, Mou Akot, the skyrocketing food prices have made life difficult.
“4.5 kg of sorghum now costs SSP 5,000 yet it was sold at 3,500 a few months ago and other commodities are also expensive and this makes the situation worse than before,” he said.
The chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce in Warawar, Abraham Garang, attributed the high prices to the ongoing war in Sudan that led to the closure of the Aweil-Meiram border route and difficulties in getting foreign exchange, especially the U.S. dollar trades at SSP 500,000 in the area.
“All the commercial goods became too expensive in the area because the only trade route that links Sudan and South Sudan through the border trade is not in use and the situation forced the current market changes,” he explained.
On his part, Diing Aher Ngong, the Aweil East County commissioner, announced the formation of a committee to investigate and find possible solutions to the high prices.
“On Friday I dispatched a team comprised of the County Chamber of Commerce together with officials from the town council to investigate and bring comprehensive report over the issue of high prices,” he stated.