Gradual Decline in Prices of Several Goods Following Ban Lift, with Further Drops Expected Next Week

Sudanhorizon – Hala Hamza

Food prices have recorded a slight, gradual decline following Wednesday’s decision by the President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council to lift the ban on food commodities.

A sack of flour fell from SDG 205,000 to SDG 190,000, while a 50-kilogram sack of sugar dropped from SDG 420,000 to SDG 390,000. Lentils declined from SDG 225,000 to SDG 190,000 per sack.

Several traders who spoke to Sudanhorizon expected a noticeable decline in commodity prices early next week as new supplies enter the markets.

Majid Mohammed, a trader at Omdurman Market, told Sudanhorizon that the decision to lift the ban requires official follow-up to ensure its implementation and achieve its intended impact in lowering prices and regulating markets, thereby putting an end to profiteering.

He pointed out that a considerable number of traders had been reluctant to reduce prices because they had purchased their goods at higher rates before the ban was lifted. Lowering prices under these circumstances would expose them to losses.

Trader Mohammed Omar stressed that price reductions depend on costs and the availability of goods, which encourage competition among traders. He told Sudanhorizon that the greater the supply, the stronger the competition and the lower the prices. He expected prices to decline gradually next week as more goods reach the markets.

Trader Mohammed Ahmed Hamida echoed these expectations of a gradual decline. He told Sudanhorizon that a sack of pasta had fallen from SDG 90,000 to SDG 76,000, while a 36-litre container of cooking oil had dropped from SDG 330,000 to SDG 310,000. A sack of lentils had also declined from SDG 225,000 to SDG 190,000.

For his part, Rami Sayed Abubakr, Treasurer of the Importers’ Chamber, told Sudanhorizon that the prices of many goods had fallen immediately after the decision was announced. He noted that prices were expected to continue declining as more supplies entered the markets. He cited Egyptian fava beans, a staple food for much of the Sudanese population, whose price had fallen from SDG 1.5 million before the decision to SDG 800,000.

Abubakr affirmed that the Importers’ Chamber supported the decision to lift the ban on goods. He stressed the importance of the government stepping back from import decisions and instead focusing on reducing levies imposed along national highways and abolishing all local, state and federal fees, including those imposed on domestic production, to ensure the smooth flow of goods to consumers at reasonable prices.

The Importers’ Chamber treasurer also reiterated the chamber’s earlier warning about the consequences of banning goods, saying the decision had directly contributed to substantial price increases, placing additional pressure on people’s livelihoods and encouraging smuggling and the entry of goods that do not meet required specifications.

During its tour of retail traders in Khartoum North, Sudanhorizon observed that prices of essential consumer goods, including sugar, lentils, rice, flour, cooking oil and Saudi powdered milk, had remained stable.

Finance Minister Dr Jibril Ibrahim had previously stated that the decision to lift the ban was intended to ensure the availability of essential living supplies and ease the hardship faced by consumers struggling with difficult living conditions. He also pointed to measures taken to protect local producers.

In April, the Transitional Council of Ministers had issued a decision banning the import of 46 goods classified as luxury items. However, two days ago, the President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, issued a directive cancelling the import ban on those goods.

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