Hyderabad: Gulf dates harvest to lower prices

Hyderabad: The prices of dates are expected to drop by 15 per cent this year owing to a bumper crop in the Middle East.

Around 30 different varieties of dates are imported from Iran, Iraq, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Algeria in the days leading up to the month of Ramzan as the fruit is the preferred choice of Muslims for breaking their fast.

Traders say that of the 400 trucks of dates imported this year, about 75 per cent are of ordinary varieties, which are priced at around Rs 55 per kg in the wholesale market and Rs 60 per kg in the retail market. The rest are costlier varieties, which are priced between Rs 100 per kg and Rs 1,000 per kg.

“The prices have fallen because of a bumper crop. The dates are imported by traders through firms in Mumbai and then sent to markets across the country,” says Raj Kumar of Kashmir House in Begum Bazaar.

Some of the more costly varieties are Mariam, Hayani, Barhi, Khadrawy, Safawi, Khudri, and Madhafti. These varieties are especially popular among those who have been to the Gulf countries.