Prices of staple foods resumed their upward trend in February and linger at very high levels - FPMA
Prices of locally grown sorghum and millet, after declining in January 2021 from the record highs reached in December 2020, resumed their upward trend in February 2021, according to March 2021 update from the Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Bulletin.
The prices increased last month by 8-11 per cent compared to January in most monitored markets, despite the recent completion of the harvest in early 2021. Prices in February were exceptionally high, up to three times the already high February 2020 levels, mainly due to the continuous depreciation of the local currency, FPMA reported.
Cereal prices began to follow a steady increasing trend in late 2017 due to the difficult macro-economic situation, coupled with fuel shortages and the high prices of agricultural inputs inflating production and transportation costs. In 2020, disruptions to marketing and trading activities related to the measures implemented to contain the spread of COVID-19 and to widespread floods provided further upward pressure on prices.
In 2021, at least 7.1 million people are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, mainly due to inflation.
Overall, humanitarian agencies in Sudan need US$1.9 billion to save lives and provide humanitarian assistance to 8.9 million people across the country. Aid organisations need early and flexible funding for the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan to sustain humanitarian operations and provide a timely response.
For more, please see the FPMA website