Doha: Ramadan has fallen right in the middle of the date harvesting season this year, and prices of different kinds of dates have surprisingly fallen by nearly 50 percent.
The harvesting season for dates usually begins as temperatures rise, normally lasting from July until September.
The price of Alkalas dates has gone down from QR50 per box (of about three to five kg) to QR35.
Al Sishi dates, which were being sold at QR60 last month at the central market, are now available for QR25 per box, while the price of Alkhanizi dates has come down from QR25 to QR15. Apart from dates cultivated locally, fresh ones from Saudi Arabia and Oman are also popular here.
Dates are a staple food of the Middle East and have been cultivated in the region, including the GCC, for thousands of years. They are most frequently consumed during Ramadan, when Muslims across the globe break their fast with dates, following the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Part of the reason why the rates have fallen is because dates are commonly distributed free during Ramadan. There are many popular date farms across the country that are maintained by well-off Qataris.
“Dates are not a source of income for Qataris because they don’t sell them. They usually distribute them for free in their areas during Ramadan,” said Mohammed Saleh, a local farmer. Because of an abundance of dates, many people pluck them from palm trees in their areas.
Some people, however, have complained that because the prices are not fixed, some shopkeepers, particularly at the central market, are exploiting customers.
“Some customers are being exploited by shopkeepers as they quote different rates for dates to different customers,” according to a Qatari customer, who added that shopkeepers tend to sell dates at higher rates to Qataris compared to expatriates.
According to experts, dates are a rich source of fibre, magnesium, sugar, potassium and carbohydrates that aid the body in maintaining health after long fasting hours. The carbohydrates in dates also make the fruit a slower digesting food. The Peninsula
