Nyala, January 27 (Darfur24)
Farmers across Darfur are being forced to sell their crops at sharply reduced prices as cash shortages, trade restrictions, and weak market demand leave crop markets stagnant this season, traders and farmers told Darfur24.
Saleh Haroun, a trader in Nyala’s crop market, told Darfur24 that purchasing power has weakened significantly, with major traders reluctant to buy.
He attributed the situation to the lack of alternative markets following the decision to ban the transport of agricultural and forestry crops to areas under army control, in addition to widespread cash scarcity. “These factors have become the defining feature of crop markets in Darfur this season,” he said.
Haroun said the price of a quintal of peanuts in Nyala ranges between 30,000 and 32,000 Sudanese pounds. A ton of shelled peanuts sells for around 900,000 pounds, while raw peanuts fetch about 800,000 pounds. A sack of “Wad Ahmed” sorghum sells for 75,000 to 80,000 pounds, while millet ranges between 105,000 and 110,000 pounds.
Another trader in Nyala, who requested anonymity, told Darfur24 that most peanut traders in the Al-Qasharat area have left the city following repeated harassment, including kidnappings targeting traders’ families. He noted that peanut trading in Nyala has nearly come to a halt.
Farmers squeezed by costs and low yields
Mohammed Suleiman, a farmer from East Darfur State, told Darfur24 that farmers are facing weak production this season in addition to low market prices.
He said production costs for a unit equivalent to about one and a half acres reached roughly 400,000 pounds, while crop prices no longer cover expenses. The price of a quintal of beans does not exceed 15,000 pounds, and sacks of corn sell for between 40,000 and 60,000 pounds.
Suleiman warned that these challenges could affect the next agricultural season, particularly peanut cultivation, which is the main cash crop for farmers in East Darfur.
Limited external markets
Crop traders in Nyala and Al-Daein told Darfur24 that alternative markets in Chad and South Sudan cannot absorb Darfur’s crop production, noting that traders there do not purchase large imported quantities.
They added that before the ban on transporting crops to army-controlled areas, there was strong demand for Darfur’s produce, especially peanuts.
Price declines across other states
In Um Kaddad locality, North Darfur, crop prices have declined sharply. A quintal of sorghum now sells for 20,000 to 25,000 pounds, while peanuts sell for around 15,000 pounds. Demand for sesame has disappeared due to the absence of a fixed price. Millet has become the primary cash crop, reaching 150,000 pounds compared to 130,000 pounds during the autumn season.
Meanwhile, traders in Central Darfur told Darfur24 that prices of corn and millet have also fallen, with a sack of corn selling for about 70,000 pounds and millet for 95,000 pounds. A quintal of peanuts ranges between 32,000 and 35,000 pounds.
They said humanitarian aid provided by international organizations in the state has contributed to lowering corn and millet prices, despite low production and limited liquidity.