With the holy month of Ramadan just hours away, the Central Vegetable Market on Umm Al-Qura Street is witnessing a surge in business activity, with customers particularly coming to pick up the wide varieties of dates that are on offer.
Though the markets in Jeddah are flooded with various varieties of fresh dates from Madinah and Qassim regions, “Sukkari” is the most sought after variety, selling at SR 30 per 3 kg carton, closely followed by another variety called “Rotana” priced at SR 25 for each carton of 1.5 kg. Both these varieties, which are from Qassim region, are hot favorites among the Saudis.
Other varieties in the market include “Helawa,” “Beid,” “Amber,” “Safwai” and “Sagafi.”
While most Saudi families prefer picking up 20 kg cartons of dates, there are some who go in for cartons weighing more than the standard 3 kg. There are hardly any takers for dates being sold in loose by some Saudis who stock up their pickup trucks and ply their business on the roadside.
There are traders who have large stocks of frozen dates, particularly “Sukkari,” but customers are more interested in the fresh lot of “Sukkari” dates.
A word of caution for expatriate customers who are not familiar with the various varieties — avoid buying canned “Sukkari” dates since some traders are allegedly palming off old and smaller dates past their expiry date by placing them in the bottom layer and having good dates on top.
What is interesting is that the expensive “Ajwa” from Madinah which is in demand throughout the year hardly has any buyers during Ramadan. Most shops have huge stocks of this variety but their display is not prominent because of customers’ preference for other varieties during the holy month. Abdul Rashid, salesman at a wholesale shop, told Arab News that the price of “Ajwa” was SR 80 which was normal, but no one is interested in buying it.
“Sagafi,” “Helawa,” “Amber” and other varieties, which are sought after by expatriates, are selling at prices ranging from SR 20 to SR 35 per kg.
Traders believe that the prices will drop after the first week of Ramadan.
Abdullah Bajuman, a Yemeni, who purchases dates regularly, told Arab News that prices of dates were in the normal range, unlike other food items whose prices have gone up.
The dates market in Jeddah is dominated by Indian, Egyptian and Pakistani salesmen who work in two shifts in Ramadan. There are a number of Saudi youth too who are employed in the sector.
Saudi Arabia produces approximately one million tons of dates per year and it has more than 23 million palm trees.