The High Frequency South Sudan Survey (HFSSS) uses tablet computers to collect real-time data and is currently being carried out in Aweil, Aweil North, Bor, Juba, Kuajok, Magwi, Maridi,Nimule, Raja, Rumbek, Rumbek East, Tonj South, Torit, Wau, Yambio and Yei. However, pilot data from April 2012 to October 2014 is included for Juba, Malakal, Rumbek and Wau. The aim of the survey is to provide the Government of South Sudan with high frequency, high quality data on social, economic and security conditions in the country. The survey collects data on market prices, exchange rates and household welfare in these major towns and sub towns.
The National Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with the World Bank is pleased to publish further results from the HFSSS in particular market price survey. Prices are collected for thirty seven retail products and thirteen wholesale products (the complete list of products can be found at the end of this document) sold in local markets to track changes in price. These products were selected by the NBS and constitute a subset of products from the South Sudan Consumer Price Index (CPI) that have high weights and are considered important for household wellbeing. These are primarily food items, petrol and charcoal.
Market prices are collected once a week in Aweil, Aweil North, Bor, Juba, Kuajok, Magwi, Maridi, Nimule, Raja, Rumbek, Rumbek East, Tonj South, Torit, Wau, Yambio and Yei . Grain, flour, vegetables and fruit are weighed in order to get an accurate price per kilo that can be compared between towns and over time.
Note that prices have been collected continuously throughout the political crisis of December 2013, except for in Malakal where prices only could be collected once in January 2014. Because of the conflict, the market was looted and has been closed since mid-January up to date.
In general, prices have been unstable in Aweil, Aweil North, Bor, Juba, Kuajok, Magwi, Maridi, Nimule, Raja, Rumbek, Rumbek East, Tonj South, Torit, Wau, Yambio and Yei. All of the thirty seven retail products and thirteen wholesale products included in the HFSSS market price collection have been available for purchase in the market of Aweil, Aweil North, Bor, Juba, Kuajok, Magwi, Maridi, Raja, Rumbek, Rumbek East, Tonj South, Torit, Wau, Yambio and Yei with exception of Sorghum flour retail and Groundnut Grain in Wau. Yambio tops the list of unavailable products, followed by Rumbek for Wholesale products. However there are observed price fluctuations for some products due to varying availability in the markets, some caused by the effect of the crisis and the fluctuating South Sudanese Pounds against the US Dollar. These are mainly Petrol, Maize flour, Sorghum Grain, Onions, Bread, Lentils, Sugar, among others.