Traders in West Darfur have criticised sharp increases in customs duties imposed by authorities operating under the TASIS government, accusing officials of reneging on an agreement to exempt essential food supplies entering through the Adikong border crossing with Chad.
Tijani Yousif, head of the West Darfur Chamber of Commerce, said customs authorities had reinstated duties on food products previously granted exemptions, despite assurances made during discussions with the chamber.
The disputed charges are being collected in territory controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), where the TASIS government oversees customs and taxation.
According to an earlier report by Darfur24, customs officials referred the agreement to exempt food commodities to their headquarters in Nyala, where the exemption was rejected, leaving traders facing additional costs.
Speaking at a gathering of merchants, Yousif said charges on carts transporting flour had increased from 35,000 to 55,000 Sudanese pounds, while fees on sugar shipments had doubled from 35,000 to 70,000 pounds.
He warned that the additional charges were placing further pressure on businesses already struggling with currency volatility and the continued depreciation of the Sudanese pound.
Traders transporting goods through Adikong face multiple payments, including customs duties, local taxes, zakat, finance ministry charges, border trade levies and export-related fees.
Yousif said the accumulation of these payments was undermining commercial activity and driving up the cost of essential goods for residents.
The chamber called for urgent intervention to streamline taxation and eliminate overlapping charges, warning that merchants had already suffered substantial losses from exchange-rate fluctuations and rising operating costs.
Yousif also criticised the proliferation of collection points along commercial routes, saying traders were increasingly burdened by repeated demands for payment.
He stressed that merchants did not oppose security checkpoints, which he acknowledged were necessary to maintain stability, but argued that security arrangements should not be used to impose additional financial burdens on trade.
The dispute highlights growing pressure on the TASIS government’s revenue collection system in RSF-controlled Darfur, where traders have repeatedly complained about multiple taxes and customs duties.
Adikong, situated along the border with Chad, serves as a vital commercial gateway for West Darfur, particularly as the war continues to disrupt established supply routes across Sudan.
Traders warned that unless the charges were reviewed, rising transportation and customs costs would ultimately be passed on to consumers already struggling with soaring prices and deteriorating living conditions.
