Last Saturday, the Sudanese Ministry of Commerce added 19 new items to a long list of goods traders are not allowed to import. The ban aims to protect domestic industry and it is hoped this will combat the acute shortage of hard currency in the country.
The Sudan Tribune recorded Sudanese Trade Minister Hatim al-Sir saying that this decision was based on a presidential decree to rationalize imports in accordance with the economic reform programme.
The import ban includes fruits and vegetables, meat products, animals, dairy products (except for powdered milk and formula). It also prohibits importing juices of all kinds, fish and other commodities.