Hyderabad’s Ramzan: Fruits shine bright at iftar parties amid health consciousness

Usually during Ramzan, prices of fruits increase drastically due to various reasons including the demand and supply gap.

Hyderabad: Fruits have taken centre stage at all the Iftar parties this year’s Ramzan. The health-conscious people of Hyderabad have embraced all kinds of fruits in a big way during this year’s Iftar while Haleem continues to remain the traditional meal.

With people becoming conscious about their health and the wider availability of a variety of fruits at cheaper prices, fruits are being sold in large quantities, and fruit traders across the city are doing brisk business during this Ramzan.

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Mohd Noor, a food caterer who arranges ‘iftar’ parties said that people want more fruits for Iftar and are avoiding oily snacks. “People don’t want eatables made with chickpea flour for iftar programs and demand a variety of fresh fruits and dates to be arranged to break the fast,” he said adding haleem is also served but in a lesser quantity.

Nazneem Mallick, a nutritionist, said that it was a good sign that people now prefer more fruits during Iftar. “At the same time it is important the diet you take is balanced to help maintain your health properly,” she advised.

Usually during Ramzan, prices of fruits increase drastically due to various reasons including the demand and supply gap. The demand for fruits like watermelon, grapes, oranges, pomegranates is high in the Ramzan months.

“This year the supply of the fruits from Telangana and neighbouring States of Karnataka and Maharashtra is good. So there is no shortage, hence the prices are stable,” says Mohtesham Ali, a fruit trader at M J Market.

The wholesale fruit markets at Batasingaram, M J Market and Gudimalkapur are reporting brisk business. On average, about 70 trucks of watermelons, 50 – 60 goods carried jeeps carrying mangoes, 20 vehicle carrying grapes, apples, oranges and musk melon each are arriving daily.

At the wholesale market, the prices of water melon is Rs 14 a kilogram, grapes box containing around 10 kg at Rs 700, pomegranate – Rs 600 a box, pine apples – Rs 20 a kilogram, chikko Rs 200 a box.