South Sudan's Food Basket Costs Remain Elevated Amid Severe Water Deficit

In South Sudan, the average cost of a food basket decreased marginally to SSP 133,524 per person per month, but remains 3 percent above the level recorded four weeks earlier. The severe water deficit has led to increased livestock sales, compromising households' terms of trade. Livestock prices, such as a 25 percent drop in the price for a goat in Aweil, reflect the current situation. The informal exchange rate held steady at SSP 7,312 per USD, while the official rate was SSP 5,627 per USD, maintaining a 30 percent premium to the official exchange rate. Fuel prices remained elevated and unchanged from the previous week on both formal and informal markets.