Ramadan 2024 Boosts Sale of Dates in Hyderabad

With the commencement of the month-long fasting during Ramzan, the sale of dates, which Muslims consume in bulk at the time of breaking the fast at 'Iftar' and even 'Sehri', the pre-dawn meals, has surged in Hyderabad with people thronging the Begum Bazar market to buy the dates.

Hyderabad: As Muslims around the world observe the month-long Ramzan fasting, dates are selling like hot cakes in Telangana capital Hyderabad with shops selling dry fruits and dates buzzing with customers in the date market at Begambazar.

Muslims usually break their day's fast with dates during the holy month of Ramzan. The Begambazar market in Hyderabad is buzzing with customers who throng the market for wholesale sales to buy dates and other dry fruits being exported from abroad. Besides, Khaju from Palasa of Andhra Pradesh is being offered at wholesale price too which has increased the demand.

Hyderabad is recognized as the city that consumes most dates in the country. About 400 truckloads of dates are sold here every year on an average. Sources said that sales increased in the wake of Ramzan. According to the local traders, dates from different countries are brought to Chennai and Mumbai by sea, and from there they are transported to the city.

Apart from dates, dry fruits like almonds from America, pistachios, walnuts, figs, raisins from Arab countries are being exported to Delhi. Among dates, Zahidi dates are priced at Rs 200 to Rs 400 per kg. Dates imported from Iran, Iraq, Tunisia, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia are purchased depending on the spending capacity of the buyers. Ajwa, known as the king of dates, is priced at Rs 2,000 per kg.

Rajkumar Tandon, a trader in Begambazar, said that since the Ajwa date has medicinal properties, each customer buys five kg boxes.

The Begambazar market offers 40 varieties of dates to the customers. Traders said that more people are buying Kimia, Shukkari, Kudri, Maryam, Mazafati, Kalmi, Mashrook, and Maybrum varieties of dates. As far as dry fruits are concerned, the prices of cashew nuts per kg range from Rs 800 to Rs1,500, almonds from Rs 800 to Rs 2,800, pistachios from Rs1,000 to Rs1,800, and dates from Rs180 to Rs 2,000 per kg. Traders said that the prices have increased by 10 to 20 percent this year.