Sudan’s Economic Crisis Deepens as Bread Prices Double in Khartoum

By Staff, Agencies

Bread prices in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, have doubled within a week, rising from 250 to 500 Sudanese pounds per loaf, as record currency depreciation and shortages of flour and fuel force bakeries to shut down, AFP reported.

The Sudanese pound has lost approximately 25% of its value against the US dollar over the past month, reaching a record low of more than 10,500 pounds per dollar, compared with around 500 in 2023, when the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces [RSF] began. As Sudan imports most of its wheat, the currency collapse has driven flour prices sharply higher.

The crisis has pushed basic food beyond the reach of many households. Some families are spending nearly their entire income on bread, while meat consumption has also plummeted. Residents are increasingly relying on community kitchens for free meals as poverty and food insecurity spread.

Bakeries are struggling to obtain flour and cover rising operating costs, with power cuts forcing owners to rely on expensive generators. Meanwhile, fuel shortages, partly linked to repeated RSF drone attacks on power stations, have further disrupted daily life and economic activity.

Sudan's poverty rate has reached 80%, while approximately 20 million people face severe food insecurity. UN-backed assessments warn that famine, already affecting parts of the country, could spread to additional cities by 2027, as fighting, road closures and fuel shortages continue to obstruct food deliveries.