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Juba – Al-Wadi Newspaper
The Commissioner of Leer County in Unity State, James Kuol Tap Gai, announced on Monday the exemption of all sorghum imported into the county from taxation, a move aimed at reducing food costs for citizens and traders.
The exemption covers sorghum brought in by local traders or individual consumers from other parts of Unity State or from other states across South Sudan. In a statement to Radio Tamazuj, published on the station’s website, Gai said that “sorghum imported from the state capital, Bentiu, or from any other areas in Unity State is exempt from taxes.”
The commissioner called on traders and consumers to report to his office any violations or illegal practices by revenue offices or other financial authorities in Leer County.
The decision follows complaints raised by residents and sorghum traders in December 2025 over newly introduced taxation policies, which they said led to rising food prices and increased economic pressure on the population.
Traders reported that they had been paying taxes at several offices, including the finance office, the taxation office, and the Criminal Investigation Department, pushing the price of a single tin of sorghum to about 40,000 South Sudanese Pounds (SSP).
Local trader in Leer County, Koang Gatkuoth, welcomed the decision, telling Radio Tamazuj that the tax exemption would help reduce sorghum prices. He explained that under the previous administration, a tax of 15,000 SSP was imposed on each sack of sorghum since August 2025, but that the commodity is now fully tax-free under the new policy.
Gatkuoth added that the removal of the tax is expected to lower prices for consumers, noting that a sack of sorghum currently costs around 450,000 SSP and could drop next month to between 350,000 and 400,000 SSP as prices are anticipated to decline in the absence of taxation.
Residents have welcomed the move, with Gatkuoth praising the step taken by the newly appointed Leer County commissioner to abolish the sorghum tax. Another resident, Duop Malual, said the measure would contribute to reducing prices across the county, expressing hope that sorghum prices would fall following the commissioner’s directive to traders to lower costs.
Leer County is among the areas affected by flooding and food shortages amid severe humanitarian conditions in the region.
