Traders in Rumbek have closed their shops over a disagreement with state authorities on market prices.

Officials had directed them to reduce food prices. For example, officials said a 50-kilogram bag of flour sold at 1,000 should be reduced to 700 pounds.

Traders responded by closing the shops on Thursday, resulting in shortage of food items.

“There is a shortage of flour in Rumbek market. It is only one shop which has flour and the rest of the shops have no flour as a result of the agreement,” Stringer Michael Makuach reported from Rumbek.

Some of the residents of the town have described the situation as terrible.

“The situation in Rumbek now is worsening my brother. That’s why we want to appeal to the government to quickly intervene,” resident John Garang told Eye Radio.

Traders say they are raising the prices due to the devaluation of the pound and a shortage of the US dollars required to import basic goods.