Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
From neighbourhood grocery stores (baqalas) to the stalls of Abu Dhabi’s Mina Zayed market, merchants are seeing a steady supply and consistent demand, with fresh produce and everyday essentials readily available and moving quickly on and off the shelves.
Suresh Shaji, a salesman at a baqala in Al Mushrif area, said rice, pasta, eggs, bread and cooking oil are always the most requested.
“People also buy bottled water, juices and small snack items,” Shaji told Aletihad.
He noted that frequent supplier deliveries help ensure basic goods are available even during busy periods. “We receive stock regularly, sometimes every day, depending on the supplier. If something sells out, it can be replaced very fast,” Shaji said.
Another baqala salesman in Khalifa City, Deepak Mohan, said the demand for a wide range of products has remained unchanged. “People come for all kinds of things every day. They buy what they need daily instead of buying in bulk,” Mohan told Aletihad.
Shelves are stocked with all necessities, he said. “There is stable supply of everything. Anything we order, we receive on the second day.”
Beyond grocery stores, traders at Abu Dhabi’s Mina Zayed market said fresh fruit and vegetables are also flowing consistently. Mohammed Iqbal, a vendor working at a vegetable stall, said the availability of produce allows them to respond to customers’ needs quickly.
“Vegetables arrive daily from different suppliers, so we always have fresh stock,” Iqbal told Aletihad. Many customers visit Mina market specifically for fresh produce sold at competitive prices, he added. “Families, restaurant and shop owners all come here. There is always movement in the market, especially on weekends.”
Another trader, Pranav Anand, said seasonal fruits — such as green almonds and green plums — are also popular among buyers. “These fruits are available only for a short time each year; so when they arrive, customers come looking for them. We receive stock from different countries like Jordan and Lebanon,” Anand told Aletihad.
The steady supply of goods across Abu Dhabi reflects the broader strength of the country’s food supply system. Earlier this month, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection, reaffirmed that daily food imports are proceeding normally amid regional developments. Sufficient quantities are available in warehouses and on shelves, and there are no signs of supply disruptions, the minister said.
