Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH – The Burmese market in south Jeddah is notorious for its chaotic and unhygienic conditions. Illegal traders supply contaminated and outdated foodstuff, fish and meat in this market, targeting poor customers who cannot afford healthy and first class products.

“Life in this Burmese district is quite different from other residential areasin the city,” said a media person who recently visited the place.

Mohammed Adel said they get everything in this market and need not go out to purchase things. “Burmese people who live in the neighborhood bring various goods for us and sell them along the streets at cheap prices,” he told Al-Madina Arabic daily.

On Fridays a large number of people visit the market to purchase their necessities including vegetables and fish. Meat is available for SR35 per kg in this market.

“Most goods sold in the market are about to expire,” he said while indicating the reason for low prices in the market. Vendors purchase things from supermarkets and warehouses at cheaper rates when they are about to cross their expiry date.

Humaid Salam said he has been working in the market for several years. “I sell chicken, birds and rabbits and slaughter and cut chicken for SR12. I purchase chicken from Al-Ahdal market and sell them throughout the week,” he said. The largest sales take place on Fridays.

Vendors sell a variety of fish at lowest prices in this market. They keep fish in water and ice and sell for SR25 per kg. “I purchase certain types of fish from Bangladeshis and keep them in water and ice and sell them on Fridays when a large number of people come to the market,” said Abusalimah.

He kept mum when asked about the poor hygienic condition of his shop.

Al-Madina Arabic daily’s correspondent Abdul Aziz Al-Ghamdi toured the market including shops that sell vegetables, which are exposed to sun and covered by dust and flies. “We have found that the vegetables are not good for human consumption,” said Al-Ghamdi.

One vendor said he purchases vegetables from a Yemeni dealer at half price and this enables him to sell them at the lowest price to Burmese customers.

The reporter asked a vendor why he was selling expired goods. He responded: “Many people in the district are poor and unable to get food for the day and we try to sell various products at the lowest possible price. For example we sell tuna, which is priced at SR5 in other markets for 50 halalas,” he explained.

Children wander in the street and Al-Ghamdi said he drove cautiously to avoid hitting them. Most of these children do not get proper education. Some of them have joined Qur’anic schools at mosques while many others were working at shops to support their families.

Some young Burmese expressed their indignation when Al-Ghamdi and a photographer entered the market wearing non-Saudi dress and started taking photos. They warned the photographer they would destroy his camera if he did not remove their photos.

The district’s condition was poor as the road was not asphalted, buildings were about to collapse while electric wires were exposed and sewage water surfaced on the road.

Abdul Jaleel Mohammed urged authorities to organize the market and follow its activities. “We come and purchase things from this market and we don’t how things are kept there,” he said and asked the municipality to give licenses to vendors after checking their shops.

He also urged authorities to take punitive action against vendors who violate regulations.

Sami Al-Ghamdi of the information center at the municipality, said his organization closely monitors the market, its shops and vendors. “We have recently captured two truckloads of vegetables and fruits and another truckload of meat, fish and foodstuff,” he added.