Sudan fuel shortage damages maize crops in El Gezira
Irrigation pumps are idle as petrol prices reach SDG600,000 per four-gallon container, threatening food security.
Fuel shortages and soaring production costs are damaging agricultural crops in Sudan’s El Gezira state, with maize crops suffering from a lack of petrol to operate irrigation pumps. A farmer in El Gezira, identified as Mohammed, reported that a four-gallon container of petrol now costs SDG600,000, forcing him to seek fuel outside the state to salvage his remaining crop. He warned that reduced agricultural output could worsen food insecurity.
Food prices have also risen sharply across El Gezira, with a sack of maize costing between SDG800,000 and SDG820,000, and wheat reaching SDG780,000. Lentils sell for SDG850,000 per sack. These price increases have significantly reduced residents' purchasing power, according to Ahmed Mohammed El Khair, a state resident. Transport costs have also surged, with fares in Omdurman exceeding SDG2 million.
In El Obeid, North Kordofan, all bakeries have gone on strike over a dispute with local authorities regarding bread prices and rising production costs. Journalist Omar Mohammed Omar stated that the strike has disrupted bread supplies in the city. Previously, bread prices had reached SDG2,000 to SDG3,000, with demands for prices to reflect the actual weight, size, and nutritional value of each loaf.
Why it mattersFarmers in El Gezira are losing crops due to fuel scarcity, and residents across El Gezira and El Obeid face soaring food prices and disrupted bread supplies.