Sudan’s grain production hits 6.6MT, highest in 5 years
This figure represents a 62% increase from last year and 7% above the five-year average, exceeding Sudan’s annual food needs of 5.5 to 6 million tons.
SUDAN – Sudan’s grain production has reached 6.6 million tons during the 2024-2025 summer season, marking the highest output in five years, Abu-Bakr Al-Bushra, Sudanese Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, has announced.
This figure represents a 62% increase from last year and 7% above the five-year average, exceeding Sudan’s annual food needs of 5.5 to 6 million tons.
The minister stated that the production includes maize, millet, and wheat, crops that were planted mid-last year and harvested between February and March 2025.
Speaking at a press conference in Port Sudan, he emphasized that the government is committed to expanding agricultural activities, particularly in the summer season, to build a strategic grain reserve and enhance food security for the country’s 48 million people.
Despite this promising harvest, Sudan’s agricultural sector, which contributes over 30% of the nation’s GDP, has suffered from severe disruptions due to the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The conflict has severely impacted farming operations, especially in Gezira and Sinnar States, where agricultural activities were largely suspended due to the looting of machinery, seeds, and fertilizers, as well as security threats, fuel shortages, and rising operational costs.
These challenges limited Sudan’s 2023-2024 grain production to 4.1 million tons, 2.5 million tons less than the current season’s output.
While the 6.6 million-ton harvest offers hope for domestic food security, experts warn that Sudan’s worsening humanitarian crisis, soaring food prices, and disrupted trade routes could offset these gains.
The United Nations and humanitarian agencies continue to warn of a looming famine, urging international support to stabilize the region and safeguard food supplies.
Despite the obstacles limiting agricultural productivity in Sudan, the government has been making a raft of measures to boost local production.
In 2024, African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Board of Directors has approved a US$46.2 million grant to South Sudan to support the Climate Resilient Agri-Food System Transformation Program to improve agricultural productivity and enhance food security.
According to AfDB, the program’s first phase will be implemented from September 2024 to December 2030.
Themba Bhebhe, AfDB’s Country Manager, revealed the Program’s activities are intended to produce an additional 350,000 tons of cereal (mostly sorghum and rice) and 2,450 tons of fish.
The funds will be utilized for purchasing agriculture equipment and machinery, providing extension services to farmers, training and access to markets. This will go a long way in improving agriculture value chains, making South Sudan more competitive in the global market.
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