Abu Dhabi: Vendors at the fruit and vegetable market near Mina Port want municipality authorities to air-condition the facility to attract more customers.
“It is too hot here. We are losing customers because nobody wants to shop in this sweltering heat,” said Karim, an Indian shopkeeper.
The 35 odd shops are housed under a huge municipality shed with a tinned roof. The electric fans whirring above hardly make a difference in the hot summer where temperatures touch 50 degrees.
“We are used to this heat and humidity, but not customers,” said Karim who has been running his shop at Mina for the last 12 years.
Noushad, another shopkeeper from India, said this year there is at least a 30 per cent dip in business since the start of Ramadan.
“Every year it is getting worse. People flock to supermarkets to shop in cool confines. Our business is going down every year,” complained Noushad.
Vendors’ demand
Many other shopkeepers who spoke to XPRESS said they want civic authorities to air-condition the market that is more than 20 years old.
“Every year we hear about air conditioning the market in order to offer better facilities to customers, but it is just a talk,” said Ahmad Khan, a vendor from Pakistan.
According to him, even some of his regular customers have stopped coming. “They all go to hypermarkets and do not mind paying a few extra dirhams for the comfort of shopping in a mall,” said Khan.
The rows of shops that make the rest of the open market are also not air-conditioned. However, contrary to the claims of keepers of the municipality-run shops, many said they are doing brisk business. “Business is good as usual. People come to the market because prices are cheaper here,” said Hakim Ali, a shop keeper.
However, both shopkeepers and customers sounded enthusiastic about the idea of having an air-conditioned fruit and vegetable market.
“It will be good. I have been shopping from the Mina market for so many years now. I will like it if I don’t have to suffer the heat while I shop,” said Mohammad Abdurab, a Bangladeshi supervisor.
Some shoppers said while air-conditioning the market is fine, authorities should ensure the old world charm of the place remains intact.
“We woud love to see this place transform into an air-conditioned market. But everything else should remain the same. We don’t want another plush shopping mall in place of this traditional market,” said Hassan, who runs a hardware shop.
