Government drops food prices, opens 37 selling points in Juba

By Okech Francis

The government has subsidized food commodities in 37 centres in residential areas of Juba to cushion against the population against high prices, the Minister of Trade, William Anyuon Kuol said.

The commodities were solicited from Malaysia following an agreement for a one year supply, Kuol told The Dawn in an interview.

“Malaysia now responded positively and are supplying. They will supply us with food and the food that they have promised to supply is 200,000 metric tons. Some of them have arrived, 40 trucks in Nimule and 50 trucks in Juba,” Kuol said.

“We got support from the Malaysian government and a company in Malaysia called Be Smart signed to supply the food. After giving us this food, we will also give them some investments in South Sudan. When they invest here they will recover their money through the investments that they want.”

Kuol said the food items include maize, wheat, cooking oil, rice, sugar and beans.                                                                                                                                       

China is yet to respond to a similar request from South Sudan.

Prices of commodities in the market have risen twice or more in a space of the first three months of the year. The dollar also gains from strength to strength daily, selling today at 1900 on the black market while in the central bank it sells at 1600 SSP.

In Juba, the government has already opened 37 centers in residential areas from which consumers will be charged at 45 percent of the market prices, Kuol said.

“Our plan with them is to receive 28 trucks every two weeks so we will be able to control this market. We are also having plans to supply our States and in the States will be sorghum grains.”

The government will also subsidize fuel in the country by 45 percent of market prices, Kuol said.

“Fuel is now 2000 SSP a liter, still very high. Now also, we have a supply from Malaysia and we have decided to give that priority to NILEPET and it will share the oil imported with all petrol stations,” he said.