‘Trade monopoly’ pushes-up grain prices in eastern Sudan

The prices for sorghum and sesame have risen sharply in Sudan’s El Gedaref – a hike attributed to a limited number of traders controlling the market.

Farmers told radio Dabanga from El Gedaref that the prices per ardab of both sorghum and sesame seed have risen to SDG 1,000 ($150).

Farmer Haidar Abdellatif El Badawi explained that that in July, the authorities bought all the remaining sorghum from the farmers at a concentration price of SDG 500 ($75) per ardab and sold the sorghum to three unnamed merchants at SDG 380 ($ 57) per Ardab with an indefinite payment delay.

He explained that the government now does not have any strategic sorghum stocks apart from that allocated for Zakat (Muslim alms).

Farmers attributed the current rise in sorghum prices to a limited number of traders controlling the crop.

They called on the authorities to intervene urgently.

Late rain

In late July, the residents of El Gedaref held the Zakat Chamber responsible for damage to more than 1,000 sacks of sorghum earmarked for Muslim alms due to rain.