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Coronavirus Threatens Food Security in Sudan

Food security in Sudan is facing a new crisis with the precautionary measures taken by the state to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus. Reuters
Food security in Sudan is facing a new crisis with the precautionary measures taken by the state to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus. Reuters
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Coronavirus Threatens Food Security in Sudan

Food security in Sudan is facing a new crisis with the precautionary measures taken by the state to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus. Reuters
Food security in Sudan is facing a new crisis with the precautionary measures taken by the state to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus. Reuters

Food security in Sudan faces new challenges as the government takes restrictive measures on stemming the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The measures have greatly affected producers especially those working in the agriculture sector, which represents 44% of the Sudanese economy.

The curfew imposed on producers in the agriculture and industrial sectors threatens the future of food security in the African country, where preparations for summer seasonal crops are usually made in April and May.

Sudan's Ambassador to Italy and Permanent Representative to UN agencies in Rome, Abdul Wahab Hijazi, said that with the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, entering full lockdown there is a desperate need to rush completing agriculture tasks for the upcoming summer season.

Hijazi warned that the shutdown harshly affects small-scale producers and farmers as they are the most vulnerable.

The agricultural sector is one of the largest economic sectors in Sudan with 80% of the population depending on agriculture. The sector participates with 44% of the gross domestic product and is the main driver of agricultural industries.

Official reports indicate that Sudan has about 200 million acres of arable land, of which only 25% is used.

The Sudanese cabinet of ministers had formed a supreme committee tasked with having the summer seasonal crop thrive by providing needed aid to farmers.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese undersecretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Abdul Qadir Turkawi, played down the impact of the state’s COVID-19 measures on the progress of operations for the country's agricultural season.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the ministry, last March, started importing seeds and fertilizers in cooperation with the Sudanese Agricultural Bank.

“The situation is reassuring for the success of the agricultural season despite the difficulties encountered,” Turkawi said, clarifying that the global slowdown due to the coronavirus will affect only the import of a few seeds, because most seeds are produced locally through the Arab Company for Seeds Production.

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FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Marathon Petroleum's oil refinery, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Anacortes, Washington, US, March 9, 2022. REUTERS/David Ryder/File Photo
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Oil Tumbles Further as US-China Trade Tensions Fuel Recession Fears

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Marathon Petroleum's oil refinery, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Anacortes, Washington, US, March 9, 2022. REUTERS/David Ryder/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Marathon Petroleum's oil refinery, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Anacortes, Washington, US, March 9, 2022. REUTERS/David Ryder/File Photo

Oil prices extended last week's losses on Monday, with WTI falling more than 4%, as escalating trade tensions between the United States and China stoked fears of a recession that would reduce demand for crude.

Brent futures declined $2.54, or 3.9%, to $63.04 a barrel at 0745 GMT, while US west Texas Intermediate crude futures lost $2.5, or 4.03%, to $59.49. Both benchmarks dropped their lowest since April 2021.

Oil plunged 7% on Friday as China ramped up tariffs on US goods, escalating a trade war that has led investors to price in a higher probability of recession. Last week, Brent lost 10.9%, while WTI dropped 10.6%.

"It's hard to see a floor for crude unless the panic in the markets subsides and it's hard to see that happening unless Trump says something to arrest snowballing fears over a global trade war and recession," said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights.

Responding to US President Donald Trump's tariffs, China said on Friday it would impose additional levies of 34% on American goods, confirming investor fears that a full-blown global trade war is underway.

Imports of oil, gas and refined products were given exemptions from Trump's sweeping new tariffs, but the policies could stoke inflation, slow economic growth and intensify trade disputes, weighing on oil prices.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Friday that Trump's new tariffs are "larger than expected," and the economic fallout including higher inflation and slower growth likely will be as well.

Adding to the downward momentum, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+) decided to advance plans for output increases. The group now aims to return 411,000 barrels per day (bpd) to the market in May, up from the previously planned 135,000 bpd.

"This potential influx of supply, reversing cuts maintained over the past two years, represents a major shift in market dynamics and acts as a significant headwind for prices," said Sugandha Sachdeva, founder of SS WealthStreet, a New Delhi-based research firm.

Over the weekend, top OPEC+ ministers stressed the need for full compliance with oil output targets and called for overproducers to submit plans by April 15 to compensate for pumping too much.

On the geopolitical front, Iran on Sunday rejected US demands that it hold direct nuclear talks or face strikes. Russia claimed to have captured Basivka in Ukraine's Sumy region and said its forces were attacking multiple nearby settlements.