Market mania grips kingdom

AN outdoor Farmers Market has become the kingdom’s newest family magnet for thousands of Bahrainis and expats.

Every Saturday morning they can be seen flocking to the Budaiya Gardens, located opposite the post office, to enjoy the sunshine, farm fresh eggs, fruit and vegetables and to devour plates of delicious hot, local grub.

Launched at the beginning of December, a section of the beautiful community park becomes home for around 15 local farmers from 8am to noon to sell their locally-grown produce.

Each weekend the attraction has grown in popularity with people living in the area with up to 8,000 recorded visitors snapping up the produce at a fraction of the price consumers face in some supermarkets.

European and US families join Bahrainis laying tablecloths on the grass and picnic together in total harmony with the added attraction of a close-by children’s petting zoo, with chickens, goats and a selection of farmyard birds on display.

As laughter fills the air, a short distance away the atmosphere is electric around  the live cooking stations with long queues of people waiting to capture a plate full of the popular ‘Farmers Breakfast’ as well as corn, kebabs, sambosas, baajela (broad beans) and nikhi (chick peas).

The ministry is hoping to extend the hours and invite more farmers in the future and following its instant success, it may even become a permanent fixture in Budaiya.

Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry horticulturist Amani Abu-Idrees, said: “The market is a major success – we were not expecting this many people to attend, especially not to the observed level in the past four weeks.

“We hope to make it a permanent feature, depending on the season. But whatever happens there will always be a specific place for Bahraini farmers to display their products.

“Through this market the general public now has a better idea about the quality of Bahraini products.

“It wasn’t our intention to make it an attraction where people would come just for the entertainment and picnics, but unexpectedly that’s exactly what appears to have happened. The food stalls and farm pets are providing quite an attraction.”

The choice of vegetables on sale is quite impressive with lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini, onions, radish, potatoes, spinach and broccoli quickly being snapped up.

Bahraini farmer Abdulla Jumaa can be found selling what he describes as ‘some of the best’ tomatoes in the kingdom. The local farmer grows his produce in his farm in Demistan, only moments away from the market.

Abdulla, 57, said: “I have a very big farm and I sell many different vegetables but everyone comes to me for my tomatoes. They’re sweet and juicy. I usually empty my box of small red cherry tomatoes in the first couple of hours.”

He also explained the importance of selling his vegetables at the same price to everyone, locals and expats alike. “No matter who you are, you get the same price,” he said. “I sell my big red tomatoes for 500 fils per kilo which is the most popular, and a box of cherry tomatoes for only two dinars.”

Abdulaziz Khalifa, from Karbabad, said: “I decided to come and sell my fruits because it is a nice place to see crowds of people having fun and enjoying nature.

“I get a lot of customers for my dates. It isn’t the season for dates now but I picked them during the hotter months and froze them. I promise they still taste the same. Dates are a delicacy in Bahrain and I think this is the main reason people come to me and ask for kilos of the stuff. I only charge BD1 per kilo.”

The market has now started attracting people from all over the kingdom, with some even making the drive from Isa Town.

Amjad Abdulmajeed has visited the market three times with his wife Noora, and three children, Reem, six, and three-year-old twins Hussein and Hassan. He said: “My children love it, running around going wild – it’s hard to keep up with energetic kids.

“It’s a very nice place to be on a Saturday morning; especially now we are enjoying such great weather ... it has become our morning hangout on weekends. To be honest, I buy my vegetables from Isa Town as I live there, but after talking to some of these farmers I may just wait until Saturdays to pick up the shopping. I will be back.”

South Africa-born Beverley West, 40, from Hamala, said: “There is such a great atmosphere here. I stood in the long queue for the Farmer’s Breakfast and it was well worth the wait, absolutely delicious!

“It’s great to see them cook the food in front of you and you get to interact with all the locals too. The farmers are all so friendly. The best thing is that I live close by so I get to do all my vegetable shopping from here.”

The live cooking stalls, cupcake stands and petting zoo are a particular success with the children who are now instrumental in convincing their parents to make a regular trip.

Rawan Abdulla, five, from Karbabad, said: “This was my first time at the market. I came here with my brother, mum and my cousins and we’ve been playing the whole time ... I was scared to touch the goat but I did it in the end and it smiled at me. I want to come back again next week.”

Her three-year-old brother Ali agreed with coming back next week as his mum, Fatima, said he had been eyeing a specific cupcake earlier in the day but she refused to give him an intake of sugar before his breakfast.

l The Farmers Market will be held every Saturday from 8am till noon until the end of May.

See Eating Out, May’s breakfast feast at the market