A phased expansion of Turalei's central market is delivering measurable gains for traders, with county commerce officials reporting a sharp rise in weekly turnover since forty new stalls opened beside the main road. The project, funded through county business development funds and trader contributions, includes paved walkways, drainage channels and designated loading zones for lorries arriving from neighbouring payams.
Market chairperson Ayen Deng said the upgrade arrived at a critical moment. Last season's floods had turned sections of the old market into mud, spoiling grain stocks and discouraging shoppers. The new layout separates dry goods from produce, adds covered sections for soap and textile sellers, and provides lockable storage for vendors who travel long distances to trade.
When the ground is dry and the path is clear, people buy with confidence. We are seeing faces from payams we had not seen in months.
Mobile-money agents stationed at the market entrance said transaction volumes climbed after the expansion, particularly on Saturdays when cattle traders exchange proceeds for household goods. County revenue officers noted increased collection of market fees, pledging to reinvest a portion into security lighting and waste collection.
Women-led cooperatives lead growth
Several women's cooperatives have taken prominent stalls under a county programme that offers reduced rent for groups selling processed foods, honey and handcrafted goods. Members of the Turalei Women's Cooperative said collective branding helped them secure repeat customers from diaspora visitors home for the dry season.
Challenges remain. Traders asked for reliable cold storage for fish and meat, and cheaper transport links to Juba for wholesale restocking. Engineers said a second phase will add a small warehouse and rainwater harvesting for cleaning stalls between market days.
Business leaders in Twic County hope the Turalei model can be replicated in smaller payam markets, creating a network of trading hubs that keeps commerce local even as road works improve connections to regional centres.
