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Sudan inflation 16.5 per cent up as food costs add to hardship Prices for bread, fruit, vegetables and meat all fell month-on-month but food remains expensive for ordinary Sudanese
Annual inflation in Sudan eased to 16.5 per cent in April from 17.1 per cent in March, data showed on Tuesday, but food prices remain high, adding to the country's economic challenges after its southern part voted to secede. Month-on-month inflation accelerated by 0.4 per cent in April, Sudan's Central Bureau of Statistics said in a statement. Food prices, which make up more than half of the consumer price index, were up 18.8 per cent in April, slightly down from 20.4 per cent in March. Costs for bread, fruits, vegetables and meat fell though for many ordinary Sudanese, food remains expensive. Costs for restaurants and hotels rose 18.7 per cent in April after 15.5 per cent in March, the data showed. Housing, water and power rose 7.5 percent in April, up from 7.3 per cent in March. Sudan's south, where most of its oil wealth comes from, has voted to become independent in July. North and south have yet to work out how to share oil revenues although there is now more optimism for an agreement. Analysts say food inflation could stoke dissent among people already hit hard by unemployment, a devalued local currency, lack of foreign currency and U.S. trade sanctions. Most food is imported. Bankers in Khartoum said flows of foreign currencies from the central bank have recently slightly increased, helped by high global prices for the country's oil and smaller-scale gold output.
