- Title: KENYA: Food traders in Mombassa enjoy brisk business during holy month of Ramadan
- Date: 23rd August 2010
- Summary: CUSTOMER BUYING DATES
- Embargoed: 7th September 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Kenya
- Country: Kenya
- Topics: Economic News,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVA2V2OW1266TKM66UYD3DZZU2T6
- Story Text: Food traders in Kenya's coastal city Mombasa enjoy brisk business during the holy month of Ramadan. Some of the delicacies for Iftar -- the breaking of the fast -- are more expensive this year.
Traders in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa -- home to one the country's largest Muslim populations -- are recording brisk business over the month of Ramadan.
All along the market streets of Mombasa, traders lay out their fruits, vegetables, sweets, tea and a wide array of ingredients used to put together local delicacies.
The prices are high this year but the customers keep coming, and this has been good news for traders like Athman Ali.
"We appreciate that the holy month started well, there is peace and we have had good business," said Ali.
Ramadan is the one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar. Muslims the world over spend the month fasting from daylight until sunset.
When the fast is broken each evening, it's time for a feast of dates, rice, meat and sweets. Year after year, ingredients for this banquet are getting more expensive.
Traditional fresh green coconut juice called "Madafu" -- sold out of its shell -- is a cheap and common way to quickly quench thirst and break the fast and people often buy it on the way home where they will then have a more elaborate meal with the rest of their family.
One Madafu costs about 10 U.S. cents.
"Business is not bad, its going well," said Rashid Mbwana, a madafu seller.
The more expensive foods however only attract the wealthier shoppers and some traders say it's not good enough to sell small quantities at a high price.
"Business this year is not as good as in the past considering that prices of goods have gone up. This year the price of dates has risen. We could sell a kilogram at 200 Kenya shillings (2.50 U.S. dollars) but now we are selling at 300, 400 [3.75 - 5 U.S. dollars]. So for the poor, it becomes a big problem," said Issah Abdallah, who makes and sells pastries and dates.
At the start of the fast this year, nutritionists in Mombasa advised Muslims to eat slow digesting foods like wheat, millet, maize and beans, to take them through the long fasting hours and avoid too much tea that may contribute to dehydrating the body.
Ramadan is also a period of devotion and reflection for Muslims and the call to prayer in the early evening often brings the town to a moment of calm as many stop to pray. This is soon followed by feasting to break the fast, known as Iftar. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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