Hyderabad: People's preferences change over dates; Quality is no more an issue

Begum Bazar: This Ramzan for most families, which remain affected financially due to the lockdown and pandemic impact, the quality of dates is no more an issue. Most people's preferences have now changed. Earlier, they used to pick up premium varieties.

With the holy month of Ramzan expected to start Wednesday, Muslim families can be seen buying dates, but laying hand on medium and normal varieties.

Tariq Omer, a customer at dates shop, here, said, since past one year everyone is in a financial crisis.

Earlier, the dates we consumed were costing Rs 400 a kg, but now price has increased. We have to purchase medium quality dates at Rs 250 a kg, though after bargaining."

According to traders, people this year are purchasing dates of normal price range. Some customers who used to spend thousands of rupees on dates during every Ramzan, are now procuring medium quality dates.

"Most date stocks arrived from major port cities, like Mumbai and Chennai at Begum Bazar. Dates had arrived a couple of months back and there is no short supply.

But there is an increase of 20 per cent in prices of dates this year, as there is a shortage of supply from Arab countries," said Raj Kumar Tandon of Kashmir House in Begum Bazar.

The sale has already started, as retailers and customers started procuring dates. But most customers are preferring medium quality dates this year.

They are asking for price range between Rs 200-300 a kg. The wholesale price of imported varieties from Iran and Iraq (Zahidi dates) ranges from Rs 120-250 a kg. The local variety sells at Rs 50-150 a kg and the sale of such dates is high," he added.

Famously, the varieties of dates being sold in City are Kimia, Shukkuri, KupKup, Khudri, Mariyum. Dates with dry fruits like almond, nuts, apricots are sold at a high price. The sale of dates with dry fruits have been low, compared to previous years," added Raj Kumar.

Mazafati, Kalmi, Mashrooq, Maghroom and other varieties of dates are available in the market with price starting from Rs 400 a kg, which is also sold less this year," said Laxmi Narayan, a trader in Begum Bazar.

It is observed that vendors and pushcart sellers are selling dates at high prices, making huge profits by charging more than Rs 80-120 a kg and selling each box of 500 gm of Kimia dates at Rs 250-280.

Wholesalers say that supply of imported dates has been hit even this year due to the pandemic. As a result the price has gone up by 20 per cent.

Depending upon the economic situation of a family, customers prefer dates coming from Iran, Iraq, Tunisia, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.