Crop prices surge in Sudan’s El Gezira as cultivated land shrinks

Prices of staple crops have risen sharply in Sudan’s El Gezira state, as a significant reduction in cultivated land and ongoing agricultural disruptions deepen concerns over food security in the region.

The cost of sorghum and wheat – the primary food sources for much of El Gezira’s population – has climbed to between SDG 140 and SDG 150 Sudanese per sack on average, according to local reports. The increases come amid mounting pressure on farmers already grappling with the aftermath of conflict and deteriorating infrastructure.

El Gezira, one of Sudan’s most important agricultural regions, relies heavily on sorghum and wheat alongside cash crops such as cotton, groundnuts, and legumes. However, this year’s harvest has been severely affected by a combination of reduced planting areas and water shortages.

El Nour El Bashir, a local activist focused on issues in El Gezira, told Radio Dabanga that the price hikes are directly linked to declining cultivation. “Large parts of the project experienced acute water shortages during the agricultural season,” he said. “Northern El Gezira was among the hardest hit. This remains a major challenge for farmers, and the agricultural sector requires substantial intervention from the authorities.”

This has been compounded by extensive damage to irrigation systems following the war conflict. More than 1,470 breaches in irrigation canals have been recorded, alongside widespread destruction of crops and farming equipment. Efforts to rehabilitate the system have proven both difficult and complex.

Farmers attempting to resume agricultural activities are also facing dwindling financial support. Banks have largely withdrawn from funding the farmers, citing the ongoing security and economic instability, leaving many producers without the resources needed to recover.

With planting capacity reduced and infrastructure in disrepair, analysts warn that continued disruption in El Gezira could have far-reaching consequences for Sudan’s broader food supply in the months ahead.

Ongoing crisis

The latest reports indicate an ongoing crisis in El Gezira, showing a continuation of the worsening repercussions of the war and the decline of infrastructure, amid a complete absence of government and banking support. In a July 2025 article carried by Radio Dabanga by Maab Al-Mirghani of Jubraka News for Sudan Media Forum, El Gezira farmers expressed a painful reality embodied by the significant increase in input prices, lack of financing, and the collapse of irrigation systems, which have led to a decline in production and an alarming decrease in cultivated areas.