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Sudan’s Wheat Import Requirements to Rise to 3.5 Mln Tons in 2023

A container with wheat is seen aboard Marshall Islands flagged general cargo ship Negmar Cicek loaded with wheat for Yemen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in a sea port of the Chornomorsk town, Odesa region, Ukraine March 24, 2023. (Reuters)
A container with wheat is seen aboard Marshall Islands flagged general cargo ship Negmar Cicek loaded with wheat for Yemen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in a sea port of the Chornomorsk town, Odesa region, Ukraine March 24, 2023. (Reuters)
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Sudan’s Wheat Import Requirements to Rise to 3.5 Mln Tons in 2023

A container with wheat is seen aboard Marshall Islands flagged general cargo ship Negmar Cicek loaded with wheat for Yemen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in a sea port of the Chornomorsk town, Odesa region, Ukraine March 24, 2023. (Reuters)
A container with wheat is seen aboard Marshall Islands flagged general cargo ship Negmar Cicek loaded with wheat for Yemen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in a sea port of the Chornomorsk town, Odesa region, Ukraine March 24, 2023. (Reuters)

Sudan will need to import 3.5 million tons of wheat this year because of a 30% drop in the projected local harvest after farmers switched to planting different crops, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Wednesday.

Some farmers told Reuters the government had failed to buy their wheat on promised terms last year, leaving them reluctant or without the money to plant a new crop.

This year production of sorghum, a staple in Sudan, and of millet, is expected to recover, helped by favorable rains, the FAO said. Projected wheat imports will therefore account for nearly all Sudan's expected cereal import requirements of 3.6 million tons, it added.

"This will have a major impact on the food security of millions of Sudanese people, as international prices of wheat continue to increase and the country's national currency weakens," the agency said in a statement.

In 2022, Sudan imported 2.7 million tons of wheat and flour at a cost of $1.06 billion, with Russia, Australia, and Romania being the top import origins, according to central bank data.

Humanitarian agencies have warned of rising levels of hunger in Sudan, where more than one third of the population faced acute food insecurity last year.

"Communities are facing differing scales of vulnerabilities driven by soaring prices of staple crops, and the combined effects of economic downturn, high inflation, climate-induced hazards and conflict," the FAO statement quoted its Sudan representative Adam Yao as saying.

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Revenue Growth, Improved Operational Efficiency Boost Profitability of Saudi Telecom Companies

A man monitors the movement of stocks on the Saudi Tadawul index. (AFP)
A man monitors the movement of stocks on the Saudi Tadawul index. (AFP)
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Revenue Growth, Improved Operational Efficiency Boost Profitability of Saudi Telecom Companies

A man monitors the movement of stocks on the Saudi Tadawul index. (AFP)
A man monitors the movement of stocks on the Saudi Tadawul index. (AFP)

Telecommunications companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) achieved a 12.46 percent growth in their net profits, which reached SAR 4.07 billion ($1.09 billion) during the second quarter of 2024, compared to SAR 3.62 billion ($965 million) during the same period last year.

They also recorded a 4.76 percent growth in revenues during the same quarter, after achieving sales worth more than SAR 26.18 billion ($7 billion), compared to SAR 24.99 billion ($6.66 billion) in the same quarter of 2023.

The growth in the revenues and net profitability is the result of several factors, including the increase in sales volume and revenues, especially in the business sector and fifth generation services, as well as the decrease in operating expenses and the focus on improving operational efficiency, controlling costs, and moving towards investment in infrastructure.

The sector comprises four companies, three of which conclude their fiscal year in December: Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Mobily, and Zain Saudi Arabia. The fiscal year of Etihad Atheeb Telecommunications Company (GO) ends on March 31.

According to its financial results announced on Tadawul, Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily) achieved a 33 percent growth rate of profits, bringing its profits to SAR 661 million by the end of the second quarter of 2024, compared to SAR 497 million during the same period in 2023. The company also achieved a 4.59 percent growth in revenues to reach SAR 4.47 billion, compared to SAR 4.27 billion in the same quarter of last year.

The Saudi Telecom Company achieved the highest net profits among the sector’s companies, at about SAR 3.304 billion in the second quarter of 2024, compared to SAR 3.008 billion in the same quarter of 2023. The company registered a growth of 4.52 percent in revenues.

On the other hand, the revenues of the Saudi Mobile Telecommunications Company (Zain Saudi Arabia) increased by about 6.69 percent, as it recorded SAR 2.55 billion during the second quarter of 2024, compared to SAR 2.39 billion in the same period last year.

Commenting on the quarterly results of the sector’s companies, and the varying net profits, the head of asset management at Rassanah Capital, Thamer Al-Saeed, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Saudi Telecom Company remains the sector leader in terms of customer base expansion.

He also noted the continued efforts of Mobily and Zain to offer many diverse products and other services.

Financial advisor at the Arab Trader Mohammed Al-Maymouni said the financial results of telecom sector companies have maintained a steady growth, up to 12 percent, adding that Mobily witnessed strong progress compared to the rest of the companies, despite the great competition which affected its revenues.

He added that Zain was moving at a good pace and its revenues have improved during the second quarter of 2024. However, its profits were affected by an increase in the financing cost by SAR 26.5 million riyals and a rise in interest, while net income declined significantly compared to the previous year, during which the company made exceptional returns.