The commissioner of Leer County in Unity State, Major General James Kuol Tap Gai, announced Monday that all sorghum imported into the county is now exempt from taxation, a move aimed at easing food costs for residents and traders.
The exemption applies to sorghum brought in by local traders or individual consumers from other parts of Unity State or elsewhere in South Sudan.
“Sorghum imported from the state capital, Bentiu, or other parts of Unity State, are exempted from taxation,” Gai told Radio Tamazuj.
“I am asking traders and consumers to report to my office in case of any violations by the revenues or other finance offices in Leer County,” he added.
The announcement follows concerns raised by residents and sorghum traders in December 2025 over new taxation policies, which they said were driving up food prices and creating economic hardship.
Traders reported paying taxes at multiple offices, including the finance office, taxation office, and Criminal Investigation Department, with one tin of sorghum selling for 40,000 South Sudanese Pounds (SSP).
Koang Gatkuoth, a local trader in Leer County, told Radio Tamazuj that that the exemption will help reduce the cost of sorghum. He noted that under the previous administration, a sack of sorghum was taxed at 15,000 SSP, but under the new policy, it is now free of taxes.
The taxation had been in place since August 2025.
Gatkuoth added that removing the tax would help lower prices for consumers. “A sack of sorghum currently costs 450,000 SSP. Next month, it may drop to 350,000 or 400,000 SSP because without taxation, prices are expected to go down,” he said.
Residents welcomed the move. “We commend the step taken by the newly appointed commissioner of Leer County to end the sorghum tax,” Gatkuoth said.
Duop Malual, another resident, said the measure should help reduce prices across the county. “Our expectation is that sorghum prices will come down because the commissioner has directed traders to lower costs,” he said.
Leer is among the areas hit by floods and food shortages amid severe humanitarian conditions.