KARACHI: Every year, Karachi’s centuries-old Khajoor Market, which supplies dates not only to the port city but also to the rest of Pakistan, is crowded ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
But this year, wholesale suppliers as well as shopkeepers said despite lower prices and the availability of huge stocks, almost 50 percent fewer customers visited the bazaar compared to previous years.
Muslims around the world, in respect for tradition, break their fasts at sunset through Ramadan by consuming dates.
Muhammad Sabir, president of the market, told Arab News on Tuesday that “despite low prices and availability of huge stocks, we are experiencing reduced customers inflow.”
“Around 50 percent less buying is witnessed this year mainly due to low purchasing power of people impacted by the [coronavirus] pandemic,” he added. “Market is slow this year as compared to the previous years mainly due to the impacts of coronavirus. Dates imported from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and availability of locally produced commodity has made the market oversupplied which has also impacted the prices … but there is very low customer inflow.”

Pakistan meets around 50% of its peak demand for dates through imports mostly from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf countries 
Date dealers say there are few customers even though prices are almost 50 percent lower than last year due to unrestricted imports this year. 
“Last year the border with Iran was closed by authorities to contain the spread of virus but this year the border is open, and huge quantities of dates have been imported,” Hajji Hanif Baloch, a date trader, told Arab News. “The closure of the border last year had moved the prices to almost an all time high but supply has reduced the prices by more than 50 percent this year.”
The most sought after Irani variety of dates, ‘Mazafati,’ which was available for Rs18,000-19,00 per 40-kilogram last year, has come down to Rs7,000-7,500 this year. Similarly, Zahidi dates are being sold for around Rs7,000 as compared to last year’s price of Rs12,000-13,000 per 40 kg. 
“This year large quantities of Saudi dates are also available at reduced prices,” Baloch said, adding: “Ajwa dates are available between Rs1,200 to 1,800 per kilogram this year.”
Last year the Ajwa sold at Rs2,600-2,900 per kilogram, he said. 
Official data shows that 55.74 million people, or 35% of Pakistan’s population, was economically active before the coronavirus pandemic — a figure that has now declined to 22% or 35.04 million people.