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By Julius N. Uma
September, 27, 2011 (JUBA) - Annual inflation levels in Africa’s newest nation hit 57.1 percent in August due to a jump in the rise in cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages estimated at 63.9 percent, South Sudan National Bureau of Statistics (SSNBS) said in its September report.
- A man speaks with merchantsl in a market in the southern Sudanese city of Juba January 6, 2011 in Juba, Sudan (Getty)
The damning report, released two months after South Sudan became independent says the month-on-month inflation, which accelerated by 9 percent in August was mainly driven by the increasing cost of fish, sugar, cooking oil and some fresh meat products.
However, it adds, while the country’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) reportedly increased by 9 percent from July to August 2011, the same index reportedly increased by 57.1 percent from August 2010 to August 2011.
“The monthly change in the CPI was 9.0% from July to August 2011. Food and non-alcoholic beverages increased in price by 5.5%. This was mainly driven by higher prices of dried fish, sugar, cooking oil products and some fresh meat products,” the report says.
Meanwhile, prices of an alcoholic beverages & tobacco, according to SSNBS, increased by 38.9%, compared to July 2011. This increment, it says, was mainly due to the price rise of tobacco, while prices of miscellaneous goods and services reportedly rose by 17%.
Also cited in the September report were prices on transport items and services, which instead fell by 20.3 percent from July to August 2011. However, price increases of alcoholic beverages & tobacco of 88.9% and furnishing & household equipment 81.2% respectively reportedly contributed to the high annual growth.
Reacting to the report, Angelo Deng, an economic consultant in Juba, the South Sudan capital said the closure of the north-south border before and after South Sudan gained independence on July 9 could have impacted gravely on the “absurd” rise in food prices.
“The problem is that we heavily relied on goods from neighboring north [Sudan] as when they closed their borders with the south, what did you expect? The higher the market supply, the lower the demand and vice versa,” Deng told Sudan Tribune.
Both the Sudan and South Sudan, Deng added, should closely work together and ensure that resolutions derived from the recently signed border agreement are fully implemented. Borders between north and south were closed before the south attained its independence over two months ago.
The statistics body, formerly known as the Southern Sudan Centre for Census, Statistics and Evaluation (SSCCSE) is the official statistical agency of the government of the Republic of South Sudan.
(ST)
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