Sudan is witnessing a dramatic rise in the prices of food, consumer goods, and fuel across several states. This situation is exacerbated in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, where there is a severe scarcity of food supplies.
In Khartoum, citizens stranded in overheated areas are struggling to cook food, even when goods are available. This is due to the difficulty of obtaining cooking gas, the scarcity of fuelwood, and the high price and limited availability of charcoal.
According to the Sudanese Ministry of Agriculture, the war has had a devastating impact on agriculture in Sudan, affecting both cash and food crops. The conflict, which has engulfed multiple states, including the five states of the Darfur region, West and South Kordofan, Al-Jazira, and Khartoum, has severely disrupted the delivery of agricultural inputs and caused a shortage of labor.
With the fall of the Jabal Muya region, west of Sennar State, into the hands of the Rapid Support Forces in mid-June, major roads for transporting goods and foodstuffs were closed. This has particularly affected the routes linking Sennar State to Al-Jazira and the White Nile State, resulting in increased scarcity and prices of food and consumer goods in the city of Al-Manaqil and the White Nile State.
Scarcity and Economic Erosion
Citizens in Khartoum are grappling with skyrocketing food prices amidst the erosion of the Sudanese pound’s value, which has drastically reduced their purchasing power. This situation is especially dire in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, where markets and shops have been subject to widespread looting.
Trader Othman Al-Toum describes the scarcity of goods in the capital, Khartoum, as a result of the complex security conditions created by the ongoing war, which has persisted for over a year. He notes that the stores and offices of suppliers and major merchants are often closed.
Al-Toum, aged 56, adds that pricing goods has become increasingly challenging due to the daily surge in prices and the declining purchasing power of citizens in conflict-ridden areas.
Soaring Prices
Citizen Muhammad Al-Ahmadi reports that the prices of goods and consumables have doubled during the war, making it difficult for people to afford basic necessities such as wheat and corn. According to reports, the prices of goods have reached unprecedented levels since the war began, with increases of over 136.7%, as recorded by the Central Bureau of Statistics.
Destruction of Markets
The war, which has raged in Sudan for over 16 months, has led to the destruction of numerous main and subsidiary markets in Khartoum and its three cities—Khartoum, Bahri, and Omdurman. Key markets, including the Omdurman market, Bahri market, local market, popular market, Arab market, and central market, have been heavily affected.
As the conflict expanded into these markets, shop owners were forced to evacuate, leaving their shops vulnerable to looting by armed militias and gangs, resulting in significant losses. On a governmental level, the state has lost two-thirds of its revenue, previously earned from shop owners and industrial zones associated with these markets.
Horrific Stories
The Ministry of Social Development in Khartoum State has reported harrowing accounts of hunger in areas that were previously under the control of the Rapid Support Forces, recently retaken by the Sudanese army. Director-General Siddiq Freni stated in press interviews that there has been systematic impoverishment of the population, with about 98% of those in Khartoum now requiring support, including food, medicine, and psychological assistance, particularly for children and women.
Freni added that there are terrifying stories of famine, with some people resorting to eating cats and anything else that moves.
Experts describe the humanitarian situation in Khartoum State as fluctuating between relative abundance and scarcity.
Hunger in Numbers
Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program, has warned that the war in Sudan could create the largest hunger crisis in the world. According to the program, rates of hunger and acute malnutrition have surged since the conflict began, with 18 million people in Sudan now facing acute food insecurity.
The World Food Program reported that food prices in Sudan have risen by 73% over the past year and are now 350% higher than the five-year average, driven by the devaluation of the currency. The United Nations estimates that more than 25 million people—60% of the population—are suffering from food shortages in Sudan. UN estimates also indicate that over 10,000 people have died as a result of the war, with approximately 11 million people displaced both internally and externally, making Sudan home to the largest displacement crisis in the world.