KHARTOUM – The economy is casting a dark shadow over the entire lives of Sudanese in Ramadan. This is reflected in their simple tables that tell about their conditions, which they take to the side of the roads to share with neighbors and stranded passers-by.

However, Sudanese are trying to keep the month of fasting away from the economic crises that have besieged them for years, through their seasonal habits of street iftar tables, their commercial activities, and their ways of resisting the triad of high prices, summer heat and regular electricity cuts. Have they succeeded in their efforts to have "a sweeter Ramadan in Sudan", as an advertisement for one of the country's telecommunications companies says?

Despite the slowdown in inflation from 422.8% in July 2021 to 63.3% in February, the local currency continued to decline to about 600 pounds per dollar, which negatively affected commodity prices and market movement in the holy month.

Goods in a Sudanese grocery show the scale of the recession (Al Jazeera)

The expensive is left

Although the month of fasting is one of the main buying seasons that usually witness exaggeration and large price jumps as a result of the high demand for purchases, the most prominent observation during the current Ramadan was the growing recession in the local market. Thus, the prices of basic commodities fell, led by sugar, which fell almost 13%, while the prices of most vegetables, fruits, dairy and their derivatives stabilized.

Rami Bakheet, 54, reveals his method of resisting high prices by resorting to retail purchases instead of buying food supplies in bulk, as he used to do previously.

He says to Al Jazeera Net that he and other Sudanese stopped buying wholesale contributed to reducing their consumption rates of goods, and made traders reduce their prices or install them for fear of loss.

Abdel Moneim Absher, owner of a supermarket in the suburb of Kadro, north of Khartoum, complains that purchases have dropped significantly this year compared to his predecessors.

He says to Al Jazeera Net that despite the stability of most of the prices of goods associated with Ramadan, the purchase rates are weak and do not resemble what usually happens in the holy month, and warned of large losses await the majority of traders, due to the large supply and lack of demand.

A simple communal table shared by neighbors and passers-by in a neighborhood of Khartoum (Al-Jazeera)

Lack of electricity

The good news in Ramadan 1444 AH was at least the passage of its first week without regular and frequent power cuts.

Finance Minister Jibril Ibrahim announced in late 2022 that there was a deficit in electricity supply estimated at 60%, while electricity production covers 40% of the country.

Despite the stability of the electricity supply, the Sudanese continued their habits gained from previous seasons that saw regular power cuts.

Mosques remain a popular destination for those who want to worship and spend the hot hours of the day under modern air conditioning, away from the hustle and bustle of homes.

Street vendors, who represent a large segment of workers in the Sudanese capital, resort to mosques near markets for worship, shelter from the midday heat, and take a short nap to help them continue their work the rest of the day.

One of the destinations that young people usually visit this season is the beaches of the rivers, especially near the confluence of the two Niles on Tuti Island, which is in the middle of the cities of the Sudanese capital (Khartoum, Bahri, Omdurman).

Mudassir Farouk, a 23-year-old university student, said he used to spend the hot day in Marsa Tutti, either swimming in the Blue Nile or sitting under the shade of old trees.

A public transport vehicle moves almost empty on the streets of Khartoum (Al-Jazeera)

Exit Khartoum

Leaving the capital Khartoum is one of the most important ways to overcome economic and weather crises. The Ramadan is a season for immigration to states of an agricultural nature, especially for self-employed people who consider the holy month as an annual vacation among parents.

For years, Egypt has become a destination for Sudanese during Ramadan, to escape the heat, high prices and political turmoil on the one hand, and for tourism and trade on the other, taking advantage of the land route linking the two countries, especially since the trip does not cost much compared to their monthly income.

The Egyptian pound is about 19 Sudanese pounds, while the average salary rate in Sudan ranges between 60,90 and 100,150 pounds (between 3 and 4500 dollars), which is equivalent to between <>,<> and <>,<> Egyptian pounds.

Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim: Cairo is one of the most important destinations for Sudanese abroad (Al Jazeera)

The reservation and sales employee in one of the local airlines Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim confirms that Cairo is one of the most important destinations Sudanese abroad, and says to Al Jazeera Net that 15 days before the solutions of Ramadan the company begins to operate two to 3 flights full number per day to Cairo Airport.

The aircraft has a capacity of about 170 passengers, with a reserve of passengers per flight, while round-trip ticket prices reach 210 pounds.