Ramzan rush: Hyderabad markets witness surge in date, grocery sales

With Ramzan approaching, Hyderabad markets are witnessing heavy crowds as people buy dates, groceries and clothes. Begum Bazaar and other commercial hubs are bustling, while small eateries and traders prepare for brisk business during the fasting month.

Hyderabad: With Ramzan, a few days away, hectic preparations are witnessed across the city and the markets are registering huge crowds in the evening with people moving in to buy groceries, dates, and even clothes.

The Begum Bazaar market is crowded since afternoon as traders and individuals are visiting the wholesale dry fruits shops where date fruits imported from different countries are sold in bulk.

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“It is imported from Iran, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Iraq, and a few other countries two weeks before the Ramzan. Prices vary between Rs 120 a kg to R 2,000 a kg depending upon the variety,” said Raj Kumar of Kashmir House store.

Hyderabad is one of the biggest markets for dates in the country. The city gets around 400 trucks of dates from various seaports in Chennai, Mumbai and other ports.

Varieties of dates, such as Mariam, Hayani, Barhi, Khadrawy, Safawi, Khudri, and Madhafti, which are popular for distinct tastes, are also sold in the markets in the city.

Equally busy are the markets at Mandi Mir Alam, Sabzi Mandi – Kulsumpura, Golconda Bada Bazar, Musheerabad Market, Vattepally, Chintalmet and Shaheehnagar, as people are buying and stocking groceries.

“In Ramzan, the schedule is very busy, so we cannot run around buying groceries in the markets. So it is better to keep everything handy in the kitchen and spend more time in prayers,” said Shahana Begum, a homemaker.

The commercial markets at Abid Road, Pathergatti, Devan Devdi, Madina Building, Charminar, Tolichowki and Moosa Bowli have good footfalls. “People shop for kurta pyjama cloth before Ramzan and give it to a tailor for stitching. Otherwise, the tailors will get busy and not take orders during the month,” said Minhaj Hussain, owner of a cloth store at Moosa Bowli.

Meanwhile, several small eateries are gearing up to prepare snacks and sell during the iftar time near mosques, residential areas and markets. The month guarantees good returns on small investments and petty businessmen know it well.