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The holy month of Ramadan has approached and in Iraq two major aspects amongst the buyers are getting observed. Few people are considering wholesale market for buying goods and foods while others are relying on the local market. The prices of food stuffs have been stabilized in Iraq in recent times and that has provided the sigh of relief to the people.
The capital's al-Shorjah wholesale market, home to hundreds of shops selling various kinds of grains, dried fruit, nuts and canned foods, has welcomed a flood of shoppers in recent weeks, said Amer al-Zubaidi, one of the market merchants.
He stated that Ramadan is an important season for the sellers as during this time the shopping spree usually targets all food items, including grains. Basic merchandise, such as rice, lentils, wheat and sugar, is most in demand, he said, as these are essential items for the Ramadan table that families consume almost every day.
He further remarked, "Families were wary of possible price hikes before Ramadan, especially as the past few days witnessed instability in the currency exchange rates, but the market kept the same prices.",
For instance, Iraqi basmati rice remained at the same price of 2,000 Iraqi dinars ($1.71), sugar at 1,500 ($1.28), lentils at 2,000, wheat at 1,500 and beans at 2,500 ($2.14), he added.
Various Shopping Styles
62 years of age citizen, Mahdiya Nouri, said that she belongs to the older generations and that is why she prefers to get prepare for Ramadan ahead of the time. "Good housewives are those who prepare for things in advance, and know how to go about their business," she told Mawtani. "I am one of those women, who are slowly becoming extinct. Like journalists, I try to be on top of the news by buying all my cooking needs two months before the arrival of Ramadan in order to obtain reasonable prices, and start preparing some meals which I can store."
She also remarked that in addition of preparing for foods and prayers, she finds that Ramadan is an important occasion, which is dear to her heart. She also told, "In Ramadan, my children and grandchildren all gather at the iftar table, which we all take part in setting up, and feel a great joy sitting together sharing the food, the conversation and feeling the intimacy."
40 years old, private sector employee, Um Firas stated that as she is a working person, she cannot manage to find the necessary time for getting prepared for Ramadan. She remarked, "I do not have time to prepare food before the start of Ramadan, and therefore I prefer to buy small amounts of foodstuffs and to augment them when what I have runs out."
She prefers to buy Ramadan staples from the shops near her home in al-Mansour, in spite of the slight increase in prices, over those at al-Shorjah market, to avoid going through traffic jams.
"The wholesale markets have now become widespread in all neighbourhoods, and not clustered in just one place, as in the past, when shoppers had to go to al-Shorjah market," said Shatha Nahi, 47 years old.
Nahi told that she prefers sweets and juices during the month of Ramadan. She said she prepares sweet Iraqi dishes such as al-Datley, al-Sahoun, al-Mahalaby and al-Zarda for her family, which they typically eat while watching television shows.
The Atmospheric Tolerance Aspect
23-year-old university student Ghina Abdul Rahman stated that she does pay attention to the month's rituals, which promote a spirit of tolerance. The shopping stuffs for her family completely depend on her parents and she does not give much attention in that.
However, she further remarked, "The best thing about this month is the purity of the souls as people usually seek to reconcile and resolve disputes during this holy month, by hosting iftar banquets to which the disputing parties are invited."
She added that the kitchen also has many kinds of rituals as women gather inside the kitchen and indulge in preparing food dishes. She added, "We gather at my grandfather's house on the first day of Ramadan, when my uncles and their families come over and the iftar table extends long with the most delicious and tasty food on it." She concluded, "My uncles and other relatives would then host the next iftar banquets at their homes, and this runs around throughout the month of Ramadan,"
Updated 11 Jul 2013 | Soruce: Al Shorfa | By S.Seal
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The capital's al-Shorjah wholesale market, home to hundreds of shops selling various kinds of grains, dried fruit, nuts and canned foods, has welcomed a flood of shoppers in recent weeks, said Amer al-Zubaidi, one of the market merchants.
He stated that Ramadan is an important season for the sellers as during this time the shopping spree usually targets all food items, including grains. Basic merchandise, such as rice, lentils, wheat and sugar, is most in demand, he said, as these are essential items for the Ramadan table that families consume almost every day.
He further remarked, "Families were wary of possible price hikes before Ramadan, especially as the past few days witnessed instability in the currency exchange rates, but the market kept the same prices.",
For instance, Iraqi basmati rice remained at the same price of 2,000 Iraqi dinars ($1.71), sugar at 1,500 ($1.28), lentils at 2,000, wheat at 1,500 and beans at 2,500 ($2.14), he added.
Various Shopping Styles
62 years of age citizen, Mahdiya Nouri, said that she belongs to the older generations and that is why she prefers to get prepare for Ramadan ahead of the time. "Good housewives are those who prepare for things in advance, and know how to go about their business," she told Mawtani. "I am one of those women, who are slowly becoming extinct. Like journalists, I try to be on top of the news by buying all my cooking needs two months before the arrival of Ramadan in order to obtain reasonable prices, and start preparing some meals which I can store."
She also remarked that in addition of preparing for foods and prayers, she finds that Ramadan is an important occasion, which is dear to her heart. She also told, "In Ramadan, my children and grandchildren all gather at the iftar table, which we all take part in setting up, and feel a great joy sitting together sharing the food, the conversation and feeling the intimacy."
40 years old, private sector employee, Um Firas stated that as she is a working person, she cannot manage to find the necessary time for getting prepared for Ramadan. She remarked, "I do not have time to prepare food before the start of Ramadan, and therefore I prefer to buy small amounts of foodstuffs and to augment them when what I have runs out."
She prefers to buy Ramadan staples from the shops near her home in al-Mansour, in spite of the slight increase in prices, over those at al-Shorjah market, to avoid going through traffic jams.
"The wholesale markets have now become widespread in all neighbourhoods, and not clustered in just one place, as in the past, when shoppers had to go to al-Shorjah market," said Shatha Nahi, 47 years old.
Nahi told that she prefers sweets and juices during the month of Ramadan. She said she prepares sweet Iraqi dishes such as al-Datley, al-Sahoun, al-Mahalaby and al-Zarda for her family, which they typically eat while watching television shows.
The Atmospheric Tolerance Aspect
23-year-old university student Ghina Abdul Rahman stated that she does pay attention to the month's rituals, which promote a spirit of tolerance. The shopping stuffs for her family completely depend on her parents and she does not give much attention in that.
However, she further remarked, "The best thing about this month is the purity of the souls as people usually seek to reconcile and resolve disputes during this holy month, by hosting iftar banquets to which the disputing parties are invited."
She added that the kitchen also has many kinds of rituals as women gather inside the kitchen and indulge in preparing food dishes. She added, "We gather at my grandfather's house on the first day of Ramadan, when my uncles and their families come over and the iftar table extends long with the most delicious and tasty food on it." She concluded, "My uncles and other relatives would then host the next iftar banquets at their homes, and this runs around throughout the month of Ramadan,"
Updated 11 Jul 2013 | Soruce: Al Shorfa | By S.Seal
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