, 25/07/2010 - Cereal prices continued to show their typical trend in Sudan, either increasing or remain stable at a very high level during the month of June 2010. Given last year’s poor agricultural performance, which made conditions even worse this hunger season, cereal prices have been higher than normal this June. Staple prices in selected markets are higher than they were last month and higher than the five year average for this time of year. Because the lowest 20% of poor people spend more than 70 percent of their total budget on food, these high level and excessive increases and fluctuations in cereal prices have a significant impact on their food security adversely affecting their nutritional status. With cereal prices continuing to climb towards their seasonal peak levels, poor households will be at ever increasing risk of food shortages. Prices are particularly high in the conflict affected areas where supplies of grains are already very limited due to inaccessible transport routes. Close monitoring of prices will be crucial in evaluating the food security status of the poor in the coming months.