Sudan's cereal prices show dramatic hike

Sudan's cereal market has shown a dramatic price hike in the last three weeks.

Reports coming from the eastern district of Gedarif, considered to be the country's granary, say the price of a 90-kg bag of sorghum has jumped from 1,300 dinars to 3,150 dinars (258 dinars = 1 US dollar).

Sesame prices have jumped from 3,300 to 5,800 dinars per kintar (a kintar = 100 pounds).

Prices have hiked in similar proportions in Khartoum, the capital.

The area's chamber of commerce has attributed the sharp price rise to the low harvest this season and the expected reopening of cross-border trade with Ethiopia and Eritrea which stopped five years ago due to insecurity in the area.

The reports have noted feverish buying in the Gedarif crop market.