Rising Prices Exacerbate Living Hardships in Markandi Unit, South Darfur

Markandi: October 6, 2026: Radio Dabanga: A resident of the Markandi area in South Darfur state warned of worsening living conditions and rising food prices, amid declining rainfall, reduced agricultural production, and a shortage of cash liquidity. A local resident, Mufaddal Mohammed, told Radio Dabanga that vast areas from Markandi, Kubum, and Dimba in the west, up to Umm Dagal, experienced a relatively better rainy season, while the areas stretching east of Tiri towards Nyala are suffering from a clear scarcity of rainfall, which has reflected on agricultural activity and living conditions. He explained that a sack of millet has risen to about 260,000 Sudanese pounds, compared to 180,000 for a sack of sorghum (Marik), while the price of a kantar of okra has jumped to between 450,000 and 600,000 pounds due to a decline in local production. Mufaddal pointed to the rise in consumer goods prices over the last week, with the price of a sack of sugar climbing from 300,000 to 400,000 pounds, while the price of a carton of soap rose from 100,000 to 130,000 pounds. On the other hand, Mufaddal noted a decline in livestock prices, stating that some cows which were sold for about 1.5 million pounds two weeks ago are now being sold for about 1.1 million pounds, attributing this primarily to the shortage of cash liquidity and families focusing on providing for basic living needs. Mufaddal warned that the continued rise in food and basic commodity prices, combined with weak agricultural production and cash shortages, threatens a more severe wave of high prices in the coming period.