Bread from a bakery. (-)

ABYEI, June 18, 2026 — Authorities in the Abyei Administration Area have launched a crackdown on bakeries following complaints and inspections that revealed irregularities in the weight of bread being sold to consumers.

The Abyei Municipality said the action was prompted by findings that residents were not receiving fair value for the bread they purchased.

Speaking to Eye Radio, the Minister of Information for the Abyei Area Administration, Yohanna Akol, said the municipality has now set the price of a single loaf of bread at 2,000 South Sudanese pounds.

“The municipality launched a campaign the day before yesterday targeting bakeries operating in Abyei after discovering irregularities in the weight of bread loaves,” Akol said. “The initiative aims to enforce standards and ensure that all bakeries comply with a uniform bread weight that is reasonable and matches the price set by the municipality.”

He added that inspection teams have been deployed across Abyei town to monitor compliance and ensure bakery owners adhere to the new regulations, warning that those who fail to meet the required standards will face penalties.

In a separate development, the administration announced it has begun purchasing sorghum to help stabilize food supplies and ease pressure on households affected by rising prices.

Akol said the intervention is aimed at creating a strategic food reserve amid increasing costs of basic commodities in the region.

“In addition, due to the recent rise in prices across the area, the Abyei Administration has begun purchasing quantities of sorghum to build a strategic food reserve aimed at addressing the soaring cost of basic commodities,” he said.

He noted that a measure of sorghum, locally known as a “malwa,” is currently selling for about 20,000 South Sudanese pounds, a price he said is unaffordable for many residents.

“The administration therefore decided to procure sorghum stocks to help ease the burden on the population, recognizing that people do not all face the same economic circumstances,” he added.

Akol said the administration hopes the combined measures will improve food availability and help stabilize prices as the region continues to face economic hardship.