Northern Bahr al Ghazal state has seen recent drops of commodities prices owing largely to increased trade through Darfur to the north, according to the top commerce official in the state.

Garang Athian Athian, head of the Northern Bahr el Ghazal state traders’ union, said prices have decreased in the main market of Aweil and in county markets as well, despite the start of the rainy season and reports of higher customs taxes.

He attributed the price changes to reopening of border checkpoints between Sudan and South Sudan.

Right now the price of a 50 kg bag of sugar is 250 pounds, compared to 450 previously, while a 50 kg back of ugali is 170 pounds, maize is 180, and a 50 kg bag of Sudan ful is 120 pounds.

“We have two routes that opened through which we received most of our goods: Majok Nyinthieu and Gok Machar. But right now the route from Aweil North is blocked because of rains at Gok Machar,” he said.

Garang said this should not affect pricing because goods will continue to flow via the route of Majok Nyinthieu.

He pointed to the recent peace conferences with the Misseriya and Rezeigat Arabs occupying the territories to the north as a contributing factor in the price drops.

Taxes increase

Ahmed Bashir, a north Sudanese trader in Aweil market, agreed that the price decreases are a result of better mutual understandings between the border communities as well as good road conditions.

The most challenging factor for traders is the high taxes at the border by customs and even at the destination of goods, he said.

“Every day we received more than 15 vehicles coming with the commodities from Sudan,” another trader Ahmed Ali said.

For his part, trader Omar Ibrahim said, “They asked more 7,000 SSP from every truck coming to the state at the border apart from taxation at the final destination where the goods are unloaded,” he said.

Ali encouraged the state government to reduce taxes so that traders will have an easier time bringing goods for the citizens.

“The more we are overcharged at the border customs, the more the price will be increased in the market to compensate our losses,” he said. 

File photo: Lorries in Aweil

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