BAHRAIN’s biggest agricultural carnival drew large crowds as it opened yesterday after a gap of almost two years.
The ninth edition of the popular Saturday Farmer’s Market, at the Budaiya Botanical Garden, was inaugurated by Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf.
The event – being held under the theme ‘Our Food, Our Health’ – will run every Saturday from 7am to 1pm, until March 27, 2022.
Hundreds of visitors flocked to the garden where 37 farmers and four agricultural companies showcased their produce and tested new products.
“We love visiting the Farmers’ Market at weekends, it’s great to have it back,” British Ambassador Roddy Drummond told the GDN, as he shopped for fresh produce along with his wife Yasmine and their son, who is visiting the kingdom during Christmas.
“The produce is fantastic, fresher and tastier than ever, and the stallholders are so friendly and chatty. We bought herbs, speciality tomatoes and courgettes and broccoli.”
The market was divided into several sections – fresh produce, productive families, honey and dates and most of the produce are competitively priced.
Several farmers showed off rare and never-before-seen-in-Bahrain products as they rejoiced the return of one of their most successful avenues for sale.
The Hussain Farm in Salmabad, which was recognised by the National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD) as one of the best farms in the country, showcased sweet mini peppers. This was another product to be introduced to the local agricultural circles by the farm, after having introduced mini cucumbers several years ago.
With the Covid-19 pandemic restricting one of their big sales avenues during the last two years, the farm adapted by interacting with customers as they visited to pick up produce.
“The pandemic provided an incentive for us to move more of our sales online through our social media channels, and we are even planning to launch a website soon!” explained the farm’s accounting manager Heba Mahfooda.
The Mohammed Mohsen Ali Farm, whose owner Sayed Mohamed Mohsen was one of NIAD’s best Bahraini farmers in 2020, also focused on private sales during the pandemic, but the team was eager to be back at the Farmers’ Market.
The Buri-based farm is well-known locally for its unique watermelons which are yellow and orange on the inside, as well as its sweet corn. Most of the farm’s watermelons and sweet corn cobs were sold out by 10am yesterday.
Haider Hamza Ali shows off a 15kg pumpkin to Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf.
Meanwhile, the Hamza Ali Hassan Farm, well known for its massive pumpkins, brought one of their lighter squashes to the market.
Weighing in at 15kg, this early-season pumpkin was a dwarf compared to later-season pumpkins of yesteryear, some of which clocked in at almost 65kg.
Haider and Mahmood Hamza Ali, who run the farm, are hopeful, however, that the second half of the season will bring bigger pumpkins, especially as they get closer to Ramadan in April next year.
“Our secret is in the soil – specifically the compost and natural ground water we use,” explained Mahmood, after reminiscing about an 80kg pumpkin he saw as a young boy. Priced at 500 fils per kg, the 15kg pumpkin is expected to sell for BD7.500.
In addition to the produce and products, the market also featured a first-of-its-kind agricultural exhibition, where visitors could delve into the kingdom’s agricultural heritage.
Old agricultural machines and rare photos were showcased in the exhibition, which will be on display till the end of this season’s Farmers’ Market.
According to the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning ministry as well as NIAD, the market is working with the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus to implement precautionary measures to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
Participation will be limited to stalls selling local products without any recreational activities taking place.
naman@gulfweekly.com
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