Increased rains cause damage but benefit some late-planted crops
Key Messages Although crop conditions are generally good, heavy rains and flooding have affected several counties in Unity, Upper Nile, Jonglei, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap, and Lakes states, with negative impacts on crop performance in these areas. A likely mild to moderate El Niño event is expected to result in a wetter-than-normal October to December season in eastern and central South Sudan. This is likely to damage crops in flood-prone areas but benefit late-planted crops in other areas, and to prolong water and pasture availability in pastoral zones.
Food prices remained relatively stable during August, although substantially higher than the five-year average and last year. Prices of sorghum have begun to ease in line with seasonal trends though they remain above average in almost all markets. The highest sorghum price was observed in Bentiu, where the increase was 128 percent greater than last year. Prices are expected to decline from October through December as harvests take place.
First season crops have been harvested in Greenbelt and parts of Hills and Mountains livelihood zones, where markets are fully stocked with local products. In other zones, consumption of green crops has begun, and local production will supply