Soaring prices, water shortages deepen hardship in Port Sudan

Residents of Port Sudan are struggling to afford food and other essentials as prices rise and drinking-water shortages add to the pressure on households. The rising cost of basic goods is putting food and household necessities beyond the reach of many families.

Fawzia Jib Allah Bakhit, a housewife, tells Radio Dabanga that prices are rising uncontrollably, with no apparent limit. Residents, she says, wake up each morning worrying about how they will provide food for their families.

She cites the cost of basic items, saying that a pound of sugar now costs SDG 10,000, a quarter-kilogramme portion of meat SDG 6,000, and a kilogramme of potatoes SDG 12,000. Even bread and drinking water have become expensive: two pieces of bread cost SDG 1,000, while a pair of water containers sells for SDG 3,000.

Vegetables are also increasingly unaffordable, with the cheapest salad costing SDG 15,000. Prices of other household essentials have risen too: cooking gas costs SDG 150,000, a bag of charcoal SDG 3,000, and a bar of soap SDG 5,000. A single egg costs SDG 1,700.

Bakhit says the price rises have left residents struggling to decide which necessities to prioritise. Many go to the markets intending to buy what their families need, but return with only a few items, insufficient to meet household requirements. Despite spending large sums, families can afford only small quantities of food and vegetables.

She adds that some goods are unavailable even at inflated prices. Residents are also suffering from a shortage of drinking water, with the SDG 3,000 charged for a pair of water containers insufficient to meet a family’s needs, particularly in households with children.