The war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran has entered its second month, dragging in its wake a cascade of crises, foremost among them a global fuel shock.
In Sudan, Al-Gadarif State has not been spared, as the repercussions of the crisis have surfaced across multiple sectors.
At the start of April, the price of a gallon of gasoline in Al-Gadarif climbed from 16,500 Sudanese pounds ($3.99) to roughly 22,500 Sudanese pounds ($5.43), before continuing its upward trajectory to reach 27,000 pounds ($6.52) at present.
At the same time, diesel all but disappeared from the market, only to reemerge at a steep price of 36,000 pounds ($8.70), according to monitoring done by the Atar team.
Transport Fares on the Rise
We’ve had to raise fares, a short trip from Al-Sadaqa to the market is now 1,500 pounds, up from 1,000.
Ezzeldin Al-Sadiq, rickshaw driver
Ezzeldin Al-Sadiq, a rickshaw (tuk-tuk) driver operating along Alsouq Alkabir–Al-Sadaqa neighbourhood route, says fuel prices have surged over the past two weeks, alongside a spike in the cost of rickshaw spare parts.
“That has forced us to raise fares for short hauls and regular trips. The fare from Al-Sadaqa to the market now stands at 1,500 pounds ($0.36), up from 1,000 pounds ($0.24),” Al-Sadiq told Atar.
On the western side of the Old Mosque in Al-Gadarif, Mohamed Ibrahim waits for passengers leaving a nearby clinic, ready to ferry them in a rickshaw he has operated for nearly 15 years.
He tells Atar that increases in gasoline and other fuel prices have been erratic and unpredictable. Still, he has refrained from raising his fares out of consideration for residents’ circumstances.
“But I have noticed a decline in passengers recently,” he added, “with more people opting out of rickshaw trips.”
Adam Abkar sits atop a pickup truck, waiting for his turn to load passengers. He has worked as a driver for more than 17 years along the South Al-Gadarif route.
“I travel across many parts of Al-Gadarif, but most of my trips head south, particularly to the Um Kura’a area, also known as Um Al-Khair. The fare there has risen from 25,000 pounds ($6.04) to 35,000 pounds ($8.45) pounds. It is a steep increase but we are under pressure as well, and we try not to burden residents.” Adam told Atar, noting that social occasions tend to increase during this time of year, between Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, driving greater movement, perhaps explaining why he has not observed a drop in passenger numbers.
A Surge in Commodity Prices
Tomato prices in particular have soared, with a crate doubling from 25,000 pounds to 50,000 pounds.
Mohamed Essam, a vegetable vendor in Al-Gadaref market
According to Abdelmajed Hussein, a pseudonym for a hardware shop owner, cement prices have climbed steadily in tandem with rising fuel costs and transport fees.
The price per tonne jumped from 750,000 pounds ($181.16) to 850,000 pounds ($205.31), before surging again to 1.2 million pounds ($289.86), then easing back to around 1 million pounds ($241.55), its current rate. Abdelmajed told Atar the drop was due to improved fuel access for trucks that had previously struggled with shortages.
At the start of April, Ahmed Mufaddal, a steel and rebar trader, halted sales altogether, uncertain how to price his stock after a factory in Port Sudan suspended supplies.
Since early April, the price of a tonne of rebar in Al-Gadarif markets has held at 4.5 million pounds ($1,086.96), according to Atar’s monitoring.
Mohamed Essam, a vegetable vendor in Al-Gadarif market for four years, complained of rising produce prices:
“Fuel costs have driven up transportation costs. Tomato prices in particular have soared, with a crate doubling from 25,000 pounds ($6.04) to 50,000 pounds ($12.08), especially as they are brought in from New Halfa and Al-Jazirah,” Essam told Atar.
Yasser Abdullah, another vendor in Al-Gadarif market, confirmed the broader impact of the fuel crisis.
“The increases have been uneven,” he said. “There have been no significant hikes for vegetables sourced locally within Al-Gadarif, but the rise is clear in those coming from outside the state, such as Al-Jazirah, New Halfa and other areas south of the state.”
Mohamed Al-Nour, from the village of Assar some 14 kilometres south of Al-Gadarif, works in upholstery in the city market. He has also noted rising costs in both the market and his trade.
At times, the impact of the Middle East war feels greater than that of our own internal war.
Mohamed Al-Nour, upholsterer
“Prices of foam, fabric and plastic sheeting have all increased, forcing us to raise our rates and costing us some customers,” he said.
Transport fares from his village to the city have also risen from 2,000 pounds ($0.48) to 2,500 pounds ($0.60).
“At times, the impact of this external war feels greater than that of our own internal war,” Al-Nour added.
A Threat Looming Over the Agricultural Season
Ahmed Adam, a farmer from the village of Sbrna, 62 kilometres south of Al-Gadarif, fears that rising fuel prices, particularly diesel, will disrupt preparations for the upcoming agricultural season and the operations tied to it.
Adam says higher diesel costs would drive up expenses for transporting spare parts for tractors and disc plows, which require regular maintenance, as well as increase rental rates for those who do not own machinery.
Previously, the cost of plowing an area equivalent to one-hour (five feddans) ranged between 90,000 pounds ($21.74) and 100,000 pounds ($24.15). With the latest hikes, those costs could double, forcing farmers to scale back the acreage they cultivate.
Walid Essam, a farmer from the village of Ban, 162 kilometres west of Al-Gadarif, told Atar:
“We have just completed the sorghum harvest. We delayed earlier because prices were low, but I recently noticed an uptick, so we harvested immediately to cover production costs and secure at least a modest profit. That delay, however, has set us back in preparing for the next agricultural season, which is now fast approaching.”
Essam also expressed concern over how fuel price increases could affect spare parts. He owns a tractor and opines the rising costs may compel him to leave part of his land uncultivated.
“A jerrycan of diesel (about 22 litres) has hit 200,000 pounds ($48.31) pounds. I also need a pair of tires, which cost 700,000 ($169.08) pounds in March, and I fear they may double in the coming days. I also need improved seeds rather than traditional ones, as they are more resilient to heavy rains and invasive weeds. Since these seeds are sometimes imported through Port Sudan, their prices may also double due to rising transport costs,” Essam told Atar.
