Dates Business Booms in Mogadishu.
Traders selling dates are doing very well. The sale of dates has witnessed an upsurge in recent years. Several varieties of dates are available in the markets. Date fruits are imported from various countries in the Middle East. Somali date traders heavily rely on Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Oman to import dates. The sweat test of the dates and health benefits associated with date fruits consumption contributed the high demand of date in food market of Mogadishu.
Dates have historic as well as cultural significance among Somali people. In centuries Somali pilgrims to Holy city of Mecca wondered the sweet test of dates. These pilgrims introduced the dates to their communities. Muslim charity organizations shipped to Somalia thousands of tens of dates in the 1990s and 2010 to cope with famine of Somalia.
Today Mogadishu dates markets worth millions of dollars and available for shopping at every where you may want to buy.
Osman Ahmed Jama is owner of date selling shop inside Bakaro market. The shop specializes selling dates in wholesale and in retail.
He did a research in date market before he started date business ‘I wanted to enter the small business sector and ended up to the date’s business’ said Osman.
Now the shop sells all products of dates from many countries, most of them in middle eastern countries ‘ I wanted to have shop that specializes date selling, now sell many types of dates. We attract many shoppers who are fascinated the quality of our dates’ said Osman
Unlike Osman who sells the dates in temperate shop, most vendors sell in open air with constant exposure to sun which diminishes the delicious taste value of Arabian dates. ‘ the dates are packed well , sun and dust cannot penetrate and test remains same’ said Mohmmad street vendor who sells dates inside Bakaro market.
Abdifatah Mohmmad Ibrahim who is business analyst says the rapid growth of date market is because of cheap price of date from suppliers. ‘In Gulf country dates are very cheap and Somali businessmen can import in very low price’ says Abdifatah.
Dates are rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants and the essential minerals potassium and magnesium. A diet that regularly includes low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like dates may enhance your health and help decrease your chance of developing many chronic diseases. Several studies have established the tremendous health benefits of consuming date. Today dates market grows rapidly and traders make fortunes in its market.
