Gas, goods prices reach ‘unprecedented’ high in S Darfur

The citizens of the capital of South Darfur are complaining about the “unprecedented” high prices of fuel and consumer goods, saying their living situation have become “intolerable”. They attribute the situation to the security conditions in the area as many roads are blocked. Radio Dabanga recently reported that clashes between the Sudanese army and rebel groups led to the blockage of roads in South Darfur, and communities in the vicinity are experiencing a rise in commodities’ prices and more lootings as a result. A resident of Nyala told Radio Dabanga on Tuesday the price of a gallon of gasoline boosted to 120 Sudanese pounds (SDG) and the same amount of diesel now costs 80 SDG ($27 and $18). Exactly one week ago, sources from Nyala complaining about high prices said they paid 18.5 and 15.5 SDG for a gallon of gasoline and diesel respectively ($4.20, $3.5). Its prices at the black market would reach up to 30 SDG last week ($6.80). A sack of sugar is currently worth 310 SDG and a bag of millet 320 SDG, residents said. They claim that a pack of onions rose from seven to 20 SDG, a sack of flour to 260 SDG, adding they now pay 1 SDG for three loafs of bread instead of five. Witnesses explained it takes 10 days for oil convoys to arrive from Khartoum and that the poor security conditions in the state at the moment are worsening the already bad crisis. “People are afraid of crossing the roads and commodities are scarce”, a source said.   On this note, the head of Nyala’s Chamber of Commerce Moussa Abdel Azim announced a commercial convoy was passing through Ed Daein in East Darfur and was expected to arrive in Nyala today.Radio Dabanga file photoRelated:S Darfur road blockade: ‘high prices, more looting’ (18 March 2013)Gas shortage in S Darfur leading to rising prices (13 March 2013)