With the holy month of Ramazan approaching, wholesale markets and commission agent bazaars across the city are witnessing a significant increase in both wholesale and retail purchases of essential food items for iftar and sehri. Among these, dates, a key staple during Ramazan, have seen a sharp rise in demand, reaching peak levels in wholesale markets.
This year, prices for all types of dates have surged to record highs. At the same time, a concerning practice has emerged in the open market, where old dates are being sold as fresh ones. Vendors reportedly treat old dates by boiling them in water, soaking them in sugar syrup, and coating them with cooking oil to make them appear soft and sweet, imitating fresh dates.
Shopkeepers in various areas are reportedly earning high profits by processing and selling these low-quality dried dates at cheaper rates. Street vendors have started offering such dates for around Rs450 per kilogram. Many of these dates are partially spoiled or over-dried, but the processing methods make them appear more appealing to buyers.
Dealers explained that old dates are placed in large woks of boiling water, then removed and soaked in sugar syrup before being coated in cooking oil. These processed dates are mainly supplied to low-cost Sasta Bazaars. Special furnaces for preparing dates have also become active, particularly in Narankari Bazaar, Ganjmandi, Hamilton Road, Pirwadhai, Dhoke Hassu, and Fauji Colony.
Meanwhile, normal dates are sold at Rs650 to Rs800 per kilogram, while high-quality dates range from Rs1,000 to Rs1,600 per kilogram. Grocery shopkeepers and street vendors from regions like Azad Kashmir, Abbottabad, Hazara in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and nearby districts including Jhelum, Chakwal, and Attock are purchasing dates in bulk from Narankari Bazaar and Ganjmandi. A large variety of Iranian and Saudi dates are also available in wholesale markets to meet the growing Ramazan demand.
