Trucks at the Nimule Customs yard | Credit | Deng Daniel

South Sudan officials at the Nimule border point have confiscated at least 120 tons of food items deemed unsuitable for human consumption since last week, a clearance official said.

Daniel Deng, the Chairperson of Clearance Agents Association said 40 trucks carrying “harmful” grain were seized while attempting to reach Juba since last week.

Deng told Eye Radio the 40 consignments of maze flour that were confiscated at the border came from Uganda.

The border official said this was discovered after a sample of the shipment was subjected to laboratory testing in Nimule by the National Bureau of Standard.

According to him, the goods were not found to have expired but the Bureau of Standard found some substances that are harmful to human consumption.

“For the last week, the National Bureau of Stander has been testing the importation of good stuff. We found that there are some consignments especially the maze flour that comes from Uganda. It’s not expired but the substance being used in the process,” Deng said in an interview with Eye Radio.

The trucks were then detained at the border town and blocked from proceeding to Juba.

“The National Bureau of Standard urged that the consignments are harmful to human consumption. So they are being confiscated on daily basis.”

“Since Monday’s report, we have had 40 containers that have been stopped from proceeding to Juba. Now the authority is waiting for another test for confirmation.”

Deng said the Bureau of Standard will carry out another laboratory examination outside the country.

In the recent month, the Bureau of Standard issued a circular informing traders that all goods imported to South Sudan must be subjected to the mandatory Laboratory examination.

When asked by Eye Radio whether the consignments were exterminated, Deng said they haven’t dispose it yet.

“This thing was supposed to be dumped once found it is not good for human consumption but the other agreement says it may harm the country’s environment.”

“That why we are still waiting for authority reaction whether to dump them in South Sudan or turn it back to origin country.”

It is not clear what harmful substance was found.

However, in February 2023, Ugandan food scientists found that maize, sorghum and groundnuts produced locally poses cancer risk.

The research by scientists at the National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) indicates that Ugandan grain contain 10 times or higher concentration of aflatoxin than the safety threshold recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Kenya has also imposed a ban on maize imports from Uganda over the same issue.