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Few signs of vegetable market taking off

SHARJAH - In all its dormant existence for the past six months, the new fruit and vegetable market in Sharjah shows little sign of taking off. Disgruntled shopkeepers, the still empty shops, a low turnout of dissatisfied customers and, most importantly, lack of basic amenities point towards the negligence shown by the Sharjah Municipality during the planning and construction of the market.

Airing concerns with Khaleej Times, the vendor at Shop No 2, Farooq M. says that he shifted his shop from the old fruit and vegetable market located at Al Rolla to the new one at Sanaeiya area five months ago. "Since then, we have just faced financial loss. All day we await for customers who don't turn up as they did in the old market and, therefore, most of our goods go waste," he says.

Just across the road from the market is Sharjah's main garbage dump yard from where the stink of the rotting garbage wafts across to the market making people wince in disgust. "We have got used to the stink now, but our customers complain of the terrible smell and say that it is impossible to shop in such a manner," says Mr Farooq.

Even during early hours of the day, the wrinkled vegetables and fruits being sold by these vendors show signs of staleness and point towards the lack of an air-conditioned environment that would help keep the fruits and vegetables fresh until evening.

Mr Farooq agrees that most vendors here sell stale and rotting vegetables to customers.

"The lack of airconditioning and the instense heat make our goods go stale quickly, so when the customers buy these products from our shops, they don't turn up here again," he says. "Every evening we have to throw away our rotting products because by the end of the day, the heat shrivels the fruits and vegetables to such a state that there is no option but to discard them," he laments.

Pointing towards the steps that lead upto the market area, Mr Farooq said that due to poor construction, it is difficult for old people and children to climb up to the market area. "We lodged a complain with the municipality 15 days ago, but till now no one has turned up," he said.

According to an estimate, the entire market consists of 178 shops. Out of these, about 10 to 12 shops have been leased out by the municipality and rented to retail vendors. Of another 126 shops owned by the municipality, only eight are functioning, allegedly, due to lack of business. Another 40 shops have been rented out to wholesalers. Only 40 shops have been provided with a proper air-conditioning system, a godown and an unloading area.

As per the Sharjah Municipality's plans for the future, the entire old market will be shifted in another six months. Therefore, all the 178 shops will be rented out by the end of the year. Amazingly, there is a single toilet for the use of the owners of these 178 shops.

Nasreen Mohammed, a housewife shopping at the market, said that early morning was the best time to shop here. She also complained of the horrid smell that kept wafting to the market at intervals and said that unavailability of taxis also made it difficult to visit the market regularly.

Abdul Hamid another retail shopkeeper at the market, pointing a finger towards the direction of the toilet says, "There is a single toilet for all shopkeepers and their helpers, and because our shop is far off, we have to walk almost one kilometre to reach it."

Mr Hamid also talks about the lack of drinking water facilities and the absence of a mosque in the vicinity. He further complains that every day, nearly all shopkeepers have to pay Dh20 to travel from their residences in Sharjah to the new market. "There are no housing facilities near the new market, so we have to pay money to come to work. Earlier, we just used to walk down in the morning," says Mr Hamid.

The wholesalers at the new market have mostly shifted from Hamriya market in Dubai. They say that the new market is definitely cheaper than that of Dubai, but they are still facing loss due to a low customer turnout.

Jamal Mohammed, the owner of Farzana Foodstuffs and Cold Stores, blames traffic-choked roads in the area for a low customer turnout. "Stinking garbage, lack of basic amenities, no mosque, lack of hotels and restaurants and a single toilet are the major drawbacks in this market," he says.

Mr Mohammed further says that basically people want a one-stop-shop and don't want to run around for meat and fish in another market. He also pointed towards the unavailability of taxis for the visiting customers.

He said that most wholesalers got orders on the phone and delivered packages to residential complexes or supermarkets. "This has further increased our expenses as we have to maintain a delivery car as well a driver," he said. "We are still unclear about our future in the market," he added.

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