Khartoum witnesses new bread price hikes

The shortage of fuel and ongoing power outages have led to an increase in bread prices in Khartoum. People now buy three breads for five Pounds ($0.17) from bakeries, listeners reported.

Some districts in the Sudanese capital have witnessed a complete lack of bread, while a number of bakeries were closed in Umbada blocks 18 and 20.

The Sudanese Bakery Division has held the ministry of electricity responsible for the crisis of flour. A Member of Parliament and businessman, named Abarsi, told Sudanese press that the cooking gas problem the country has experienced for months is caused by the inability of the government to purchase enough cooking gas for the people’s needs.

He told reporters in parliament: “There are three vessels loaded with cooking gas currently in the territorial waters of the Red Sea, waiting for the government to provide the amounts.”

Cooking gas has started to become extremely scarce again as of this month, residents in Khartoum and opposition parties such as Sudan’s Communist Party reported. Sudan suffered from a scarcity of fuel and cooking gas and flour crises for short periods of time only last year, including in December. In March 2018 however, the crises extended and became acute.

The Sudanese government's decision to devaluate the local currency in January and rising bread prices sparked ongoing ‘bread price protests’ across the country, which have resulted in police killing at least one protester and arresting hundreds of activists and journalists. Riot police used tear gas and violence to break up the crowds.