Chronic fuel, bread shortages continue across Sudan

Chronic shortages of fuel and bread continue unabated throughout Sudan. Reports reaching Radio Dabanga say that despite increased government flour subsidies, bread is so scarce that it now being sold for inflated process on the black market in the streets surrounding bakeries.

The fuel and bread crisis in Wad Madani, capital of El Gezira state in central Sudan has entered its second week without a solution from the authorities in sight. The national capital of Khartoum and other major towns in the country are experiencing a similar crisis.

Civilians from Wad Madani told Radio Dabanga that the city is witnessing long queues of vehicles in front of fuel stations. There are also long queues in front of bakeries.

The shortage of fuel impacts millers and bakers, but has also led to a transportation crisis that exacerbates the shortage of fuel and consumer goods.

Nyala

Nyala, capital of South Darfur has seen a scarcity of bread since Friday.

A housewife from Nyala told Radio Dabanga that residents have to stand in the lines in front of bakeries for long hours during the morning.

She attributed the bread crisis to the shortage of quantities of flour provided to the bakeries. The current influx of school students to the state for the inter-school competitions is further stretching supplies.

Consumers have called on the state government to urgently provide additional quantities of flour to the bakeries.

Earlier this month, the Sudanese Ministry of Finance announced that flour subsidies would increase by 40 per cent, costing the state coffers SDG 25 million ($735,000) a day.

* All currency conversions are based on the daily US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS)