Sudan inflation hits 46pc in Nov on food prices

Khartoum, December 9, 2012

Sudan's annual inflation rate rose to 46.5 per cent in November from 45.3 per cent in October, driven by a jump in food prices such as meat and sugar, official data showed on Sunday.

Prices have soared in Sudan since South Sudan seceded last year, taking with it three-quarters of the country's oil output. Oil exports had been the main source of foreign currency, which Sudan needs to support the Sudanese pound and pay for food and other imports.

Month-on-month, inflation was 1.2 percent in November, the Central Statistics Office said in its monthly bulletin.

Prices rose year-on-year by 83.8 percent for meat, 45.4 percent for sugar, 40.2 percent for vegetables and 70.2 percent for transport, the data showed.

Sudan cut back fuel subsidies and took other austerity measures in June to try to plug a government budget deficit.

The move led to a series of small anti-government demonstrations, but they mostly petered out after a security crackdown. – Reuters

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