Khartoum: As Eid al-Fitr approaches, Sudanese markets are alive with activity, even as soaring prices and ongoing conflict strain household budgets.
In Khartoum, Port Sudan, and Wad Madani, families crowd stalls in search of new clothes, sweets, and basic food items-the staples of the holiday.
At the Popular Market in Omdurman, 39-year-old Mohamed Abdullah carefully compared prices with his two children. "Salaries are no longer enough to cover basic needs," he said. "But Eid is important. I saved so my children could at least feel the joy of the holiday."
For Fatima Ali, a mother of five, this year meant scaling back. "We used to buy clothes for all the children, sweets, and lots of food," she said. "Now we focus only on the essentials, sometimes second-hand, just to maintain the Eid spirit at home."
Merchants report busier markets than earlier in the season, yet caution prevails. "People come in large numbers, but most buy only one or two items," said Ahmed Hassan, a Khartoum clothing vendor. Rising transport costs and supply shortages, fueled by the conflict and high fuel prices, have pushed prices even higher.
In Port Sudan, vendor Abdul-Rahman Yousif said demand is limited to sugar, flour, oil, and small quantities of sweets. "Many families are economizing as much as possible," he said, noting that merchants often sell at minimal profits to stay afloat.
Yet amid economic hardship, Sudanese families remain committed to their traditions. "Conditions are difficult, but Eid is not something we can give up," said Abdul-Qadir Mohamed in Wad Madani. "Even simple new clothes for the children make a difference. Just being in the market and seeing others preparing for Eid gives hope."
Sudan's economy has been battered since the April 2023 conflict, with the local currency plunging from 600 to nearly 3,500 pounds per US dollar and unemployment rising to nearly 47 percent. Families are feeling the squeeze, yet the rhythms of Eid offer a fleeting sense of normalcy in a turbulent country.
