Hyderabad: With just two weeks until the holy month of Ramzan, Hyderabad’s markets are witnessing a surge in demand for khajoor (dates). A staple for breaking the fast, dates from around the world are making their way into local shops, adding to the festive spirit.
Dates from all over the globe are imported by traders and supplied in the local markets. The people purchase it in the retail market and consume it throughout the month. Traditional Muslims break roza (fast) with dates. More than two dozen varieties of dates are imported during the Ramzan month from Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, United Arab Emirates and Oman.
The city through different agents gets hundreds of tons of dates from Mumbai. These dates are brought in containers in big ships to Mumbai where they are packed in boxes of different brands and shifted to the markets in the city.
“In Mumbai, there is a market where cardboard and plastic boxes are manufactured and supplied to businessmen. Every businessman gets his brand name printed on it, packs the dates in boxes and shifts it to the city,” said a local trader on condition of anonymity.
Many are unaware that some traders in the city sell expired or leftover stock of dates from the previous year. Since the date business is seasonal, many traders operate for just two months a year. Unsold stock is often stored without proper precautions, leading to damage, but it is later repackaged and sold.
“To avoid getting damaged or old stock, the customers should prefer loose dates over the ones packed in boxes. A mandatory check must be done before purchasing the dates,” said a trader at Begum Bazar market.
There are complaints of traders polishing rotten or insect-mixed dates with oil and selling them at a comparatively lower price. Traders who are old to the market, advise buyers not to eat dates having a bad smell or taste or in case there are insects or their eggs.
“People are quite ignorant of the matter and unable to distinguish between expired or healthy dates. It is important to check the quality before purchasing and consuming it,” advised Sumith Jain, a trader at Begum Bazaar.
There are three signs to watch out for: signalling those sweet dates have taken a turn for the worse. Check if the dates are discoloured or mouldy, check the smell and then break open the date to check for worms.
“Authentic dates are naturally sweet and do not require additional coatings of sugar or glucose syrup. When gently pressed, genuine dates remain soft and flexible, whereas counterfeit ones may feel hard and excessively sticky due to added sweeteners,” said Abdul Qavi, a trader at Feelkhana.
| Edited by Veena Nair | 
