Several bakeries in Damazin, the capital of Sudan’s Blue Nile region, have suspended operations in protest against government-imposed bread prices, worsening shortages as rising production costs put further pressure on local businesses.
Bakery owners say the official pricing structure has become financially unsustainable amid sharp increases in flour, fuel and firewood costs, according to local Sudanese media.
The regional Ministry of Finance’s trade department requires bakeries to sell three loaves of bread for 1,000 Sudanese pounds. However, bakery operators are demanding permission to sell two loaves for the same amount to offset mounting expenses.
One bakery owner told local Sudanese media that operators had formally requested a price adjustment but received no response from the authorities.
He said bakeries were struggling to cover operating expenses without government subsidies, leaving some businesses unable to continue production under the existing pricing regulations.
Residents reported difficulties obtaining bread on Friday as several bakeries remained closed, adding to growing concerns over the availability of essential food supplies.
The disruption comes amid deteriorating economic conditions across Sudan, where soaring production costs, currency depreciation and supply disruptions have driven up food prices.
In September, residents of Damazin reported sharp increases in the prices of basic commodities, including flour, cooking oil and fuel, placing additional financial pressure on households already affected by the country’s prolonged conflict.
Similar pressures have emerged elsewhere in Sudan. Bakeries in Khartoum raised bread prices earlier this month, with two loaves selling for 1,000 Sudanese pounds as operators struggled with rising production and transportation costs.
The latest closures in Damazin highlight growing tensions between government efforts to regulate the price of essential commodities and bakery owners’ demands for prices that reflect the rising cost of production.
The regional trade department has not publicly responded to the bakery owners’ demands, and it remains unclear when the affected businesses will resume operations.
