Government Market Intervention in Kordofan, Sudan

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Periodical article

Title:	Government Market Intervention in Kordofan, Sudan
Authors:	Speece, Mark Gillard-Byers, Thomas
Year:	1986
Periodical:	Northeast African Studies
Volume:	8
Issue:	2-3
Pages:	111-129
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Sudan
Subjects:	economic policy agricultural marketing Economics and Trade Politics and Government
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/43660373
Abstract:	The Sudanese government's development policy over the past two decades has mandated State control of important sectors of the economy, which in Sudan includes primarily cash agricultural crops. This control to a large extent has been exercised through direct operation and/or strict regulation of marketing channels (government monopoly over agricultural inputs and output, artificial exchange rates, price controls, restrictive licensing). Examination of recent market performance in Kordofan has indicated that State intervention is achieving the exact opposite of the intended goals. On a micro level, producers and consumers in Kordofan are worse off because of government policy. Furthermore, two key macro goals for Sudan, increased food production and increased foreign exchange earnings through cash crop export, also have suffered. This policy failure is evident on many levels: artificially high prices of basic food stuffs, artificially depressed producer prices, unreliable supplies and shortages of many products, declining production and yields, and sharp drops in foreign exchange earnings. Bibliogr., note.