Daily Times

Like other fruit items, the business of dates (Kajoor) has also shined during the holy month of Ramazan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Owing to its delicious taste, numerous health and nutrition benefits, dates is a part of almost every “Dastarkhwan” and a prime choice of the rozadars (fasting people) during Iftar parties. The business of imported and locally produced dates (Kajoor) have get upward boom during Ramazan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including seven merged tribal districts where the commodity was being sold like a hot cake.

All the fruits markets of Peshawar including Gul Bhar, Firdus, Hasthnagri, Chamkani, Faqirabad, Boards, Tehkal, Cantonment, Pishtakhara, Kohat, Dalazak Roads etc are flooded with different varieties of dates, attracting buyers despite it’s high prices. Muzafati date is being sold at Rs380-400 per kilogram this year compared to RsRs360-380 last year. Similarly, Iranian dates are being sold at Rs260-280 this year as against Rs220-240 per kg last year and its price is quite high this year that needed to be checked by the district administration.

Dhaki DI Khan’s dates are also almost out of reach of poor people as it is being sold at Rs420-440 this year against Rs360-380 last year “Despite its high prices, Dhaki dates are my favourite and my iftar party cannot be complete without it,” said Qaisar Khan, a retired Wapda employee while talking to APP.

Qaiser said he prefers Dhaki dates due to their better taste and numerous nutrition and health benefits. Besides my family, he said most of his friends liked Dhaki dates during Iftari as helping in the restoration of blood sugar levels after fasting all day. Punjgor dates are also attracting consumers in large number in local markets due to it’s better quality and nutritious level.

“My daughter has requested four kilograms’ dates but I purchased only two kilograms because of its high prices in Peshawar.” He said it was the responsibility of district administration to control prices of daily use items including dates in open markets and urged DCs to activate his staff to control price hikes during Ramadan.

Dr Malik Riaz Khan, head of the medical and children ward at Govt Rashid Hussain Shaheed Hospital told APP that dates were an important food item during Ramazan and recommended people commence Iftar by eating at least five dates because it provides the body with necessary sugar and helping in the restoration of blood sugar level after fasting all the day. “One of the most common reasons for headaches or dizziness during Ramazan is low blood sugar that is why eating dates is very beneficial at the start of Iftar to maintain sugar level,” he said. He said it is easy to digest so they don’t exhaust the fasting person’s stomach, adding research studies proved that having dates after fasting has got great benefits for nutrition and health of people.

“Dates decrease great hunger feeling of the fasting person and people doesn’t rush into excessive food eating, which causes digestion disorders.” Dr Riaz said dates prepare a person’s stomach to receive food after being inactive throughout the day by activating the release of digestive secretions and juices besides rich with sugary energy.

“The scientific studies showed that eating dates were extremely beneficial for pregnant women and lactating mothers as it contains certain stimulants, which assist in strengthening of muscles of the womb that can lead to an easier delivery and good health of newborns.” The sugar content of dates is about 80% making it an ideal high-energy food for lactating mothers, he said adding it contains about seven vitamins and eleven minerals which are very beneficial for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.