Sudan hit by severe flour shortage

The production of bread in Sudan has been downsized because of a lack of flour.

Badreldin El Jalal, Secretary-General of the National Flour Chamber, attributed the bread crisis to the reduction of flour distribution by Saiga Company, one of the largest flour companies in Sudan, to its agents in the states.

He denied rumours that the government intends to monopolise the flour trade.

The Ministry of Finance announced arrangements to control the distribution of wheat and flour to the states, to ensure that the bakeries will be able to continue producing bread.

In particular people in eastern Sudan’s Port Sudan, and Berber locality in the northern River Nile state, are suffering from the flour crisis.

In Berber, people are lining up in front of the bakeries to obtain their daily bread since five days, Salah El Jumeili, Director of Trade and Cooperation in Berber locality told the press. He also attributed the crisis to Saiga’s reduction of the flour rations. 

The country witnessed a similar flour crisis at the end of last year, because of the scarcity of foreign currency needed for the import of wheat.