In this undated photo, women sell food commodities and other items. | Courtesy

Locals in Renk County of Upper Nile State have reported a sharp rise in food prices as the area continues to witness a mass influx of returnees and refugees from Sudan.

Speaking to Eye Radio’s Dawn Show, they attributed the situation to the huge numbers of returnees and refugees stranded in the area.

The locals say the area is experiencing poor sanitation, shortage of food and clean water.

Abdallah Yor, a resident of Renk town said the coming of returnees and refugees from Sudan has caused scarcity of food and other items in the market.

“In Renk here, the situation is very bad and the market is very tough, because they didn’t transport those people to their relatives, the situation is very bad,” Ayor said.

He urges the government to de-congest the area by transporting the returnees and refugees to their home areas.

“I hope each state will come and take its people because the rain is coming and if it like that the situation will worsen because they just staying on the roads and open places.”

Another Renk resident Amum Bitpiny adds: “If they did not take those people, Renk town will not be enough for the people, and the humanitarian situation is really bad.”

When contacted, the Commissioner of Renk County Kak Padiet differed on the ‘high prices’ allegation.

Kak Padiet said Sudanese traders are now selling their produce in area, and this, he claims has lowered commodity the prices.

“Our prices are good and not bad at all, the sorghum was 60 thousand and now it reduced to SSP.40 thousand,” Padiet.

“Now the market will be going down in terms of prices, we are helping the citizens so that they cannot suffer. We thank God that those planes here are bringing goods and taking people from here.”

Tens of thousands of people have crossed into South Sudan from Sudan since the war broke out in Khartoum in mid-April

Some international NGOs and UN agencies are working to address the pressing needs of the affected population, but limited resources and an anticipated further influx has exacerbated the already desperate situation.