Suez Canal signs $2bn first-phase deal to build petrochemical complex in Ain Sokhna    ICJ holds Israel responsible for worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza    Omar Hisham announces launch of Egyptian junior and ladies' golf with 100 players from 15 nations    Egypt, Sudan discuss boosting health cooperation, supporting Sudan's medical system    Cairo Metro's Line 4 project with Japan gets cabinet green light    Defying US tariffs, China's industrial heartland shows resilience    Pakistan, Afghanistan ceasefire holds as focus shifts to Istanbul talks    Beit Logistics invests EGP 500m to develop Safaga Integrated Logistics Center    Egypt's Social Housing Fund, United Bank sign deal to expand mortgage finance cooperation    Survivors of Nothingness – Part Three: Politics ... Chaos as a Tool of Governance    EU's Kallas says ready to deepen partnership with Egypt ahead of first summit    Egypt's Sisi hails Japan's first female PM, vows to strengthen Cairo-Tokyo ties    Egypt's exports to EU surge 7.4% to $8.7b in 8 months — CAPMAS    Egypt makes news oil, gas discoveries in Nile Delta    Egypt, France agree to boost humanitarian aid, rebuild Gaza's health sector    Egyptian junior and ladies' golf open to be held in New Giza, offers EGP 1m in prizes    The Survivors of Nothingness — Part Two    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Health Minister reviews readiness of Minya for rollout of universal health insurance    Egypt screens 13.3m under presidential cancer detection initiative since mid-2023    Egypt launches official website for Grand Egyptian Museum ahead of November opening    The Survivors of Nothingness — Episode (I)    Al-Sisi: Cairo to host Gaza reconstruction conference in November    Egypt successfully hosts Egyptian Amateur Open golf championship with 19-nation turnout    Egypt, WHO sign 2024-2028 country cooperation strategy    Egypt: Guardian of Heritage, Waiting for the World's Conscience    Egypt will never relinquish historical Nile water rights, PM says    Al Ismaelia launches award-winning 'TamaraHaus' in Downtown Cairo revival    Al-Sisi, Burhan discuss efforts to end Sudan war, address Nile Dam dispute in Cairo talks    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile actions, calls for global water cooperation    Egypt unearths New Kingdom military fortress on Horus's Way in Sinai    Syria releases preliminary results of first post-Assad parliament vote    Karnak's hidden origins: Study reveals Egypt's great temple rose from ancient Nile island    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Certain businesses flourishing in Ramadan
Published in The Egyptian Gazette on 15 - 08 - 2011

CAIRO – The fasting month of Ramadan, which started on August 1, constitutes an especially profitable time for many businesses during the day and night.
While the Egyptians seek God's mercy during Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayers, charity and alms, they still follow certain eating habits that usually flourish in Ramadan.
Since the beginning of the month, Cairo juice shop and stand owners said that they had attracted thousands of clients to buy their merchandise that includes an array of freshly squeezed fruits, as well as traditional Ramadan drinks such as tamardine, carob, and liqourice.
"This year, the market movement is better than last year and I have almost sold one quarter of my merchandise during the first week of Ramadan," said Gergis, a Copt, who runs a small juice shop in the Cairo neigbourhood of Hadayek el-Qubba.
"Ramadan has always set the right atmosphere for my business and I used to take advantage of it," he said, adding that consumers used to buy tamarind, carob, and liqourice for iftar, the sunset meal, during the fasting month.
"No one drinks sugarcane juice during the day," Gergis said, adding that he opens his shop just a little before sunset to sell these traditional drinks to customers.
These three traditional drinks are the most well-known elements of iftar in Ramadan, he said.
"Demands for these drinks are usually good after sunset and the sales continue to dawn," Gergis said.
For him and other shop owners in the neighbourhood, it has been perfectly normal that the holy month should be yet another occasion to make money.
But this year, customers pick and choose from street hawkers, who sell items that are cheap and suit their low budget.
"I have to buy from the hawkers because their goods are cheap and fit my purse very well," says Om Samir, who bought a pitcher of tamarind for just LE1.5.
"People with limited income like my husband and I can not afford buying from the shops because their goods are expensive," Om Samir said, swearing that she and her husband eat free iftar meals offered by religious associations, philanthropists and big firms in Cairo streets and around mosques.
During Ramadan, torshi ( Arabic for pickles) are usually a big hit with Egyptians.
El-Qubba's main market, where pickles' merchants ply their trade near el-Garage Street, is full of bustle that usually marks the month of Ramadan, when Egyptians fast during the day but feast on huge family meals and edible treats after dark.
"People are coming to buy," said shop owner Ashraf Elwi, adding that the month always see dozens of people crowding to buy from him.
"We go to the pickle shop just before iftar, and each of us carries his own bag back home. We can't imagine not going through this daily ritual," says Shawqi, a carpenter.
Ramadan is the high season, not only for pickles but also fuul dispensers, dairy shops and of course restaurants and cafés.
"Business is not very bad these days," said Ahmed, whose shop sells fuul meddams.
“Eating fuul (fava beans) in Ramadan is a habit one cannot break, even if it's no longer very cheap.”
Ragab said that the Egyptians had a saying that if you break a habit, that's a bad omen.
Farah Ahmed, a young female pharmacist living in Hadayek el-Qubba, said that her mother was buying and cooking the same quantities as last year.
"Food is food. It's Ramadan. My mother is buying the same things as she did last year," Farah said.
During the month of fasting, people are no longer going for fish preferring to have fuul and falafel, or traditional food for iftar, said the owner of a sea-food restaurant in Hadayek el-Qubba.
"That is why we close during Ramadan," Ali Hamed said as an army of workers forged ahead to renovate his shop before Eid el-Fitr.
Hamed said that he allowed no worker to eat or smoke in public while renovating his shop.
Ahmed Abu Ayya, the owner of a liver and sausage sandwich stand, said that his business was badly affected by Ramadan.
"No one eats liver or sausage sandwiches either for iftar, or suhour because they are very spicy and make customers very thirsty during the day," Abu Ayya said, adding that he closes down his stall during Ramadan and spends the whole month with his family in Suhag.
Once the sun goes down, Ahmed el-Sheshaashi's coffee shop becomes full of young and old customers drinking tea, coffee, and smoking shisha for a few hours of peace and calm with their families and friends.
Adli Tawfiq, the owner of a small ice-cream stand at El-Saraya Shopping Mall, said that he would not work during the day in respect to Ramadan.
As the call to prayer goes out at dusk, customers gather in Tawfiq's shop to plunge into platters of ice cream.


Clic here to read the story from its source.