I recently visited the Dubai Central and Vegetable Market in Al Aweer, which was designed to meet the requirements of the Emirate's vegetables and fruits trade until the year 2012.The wholesale market comprises seven blocks consisting of a total of 284 outlets, while the retail market has four blocks consisting of 150 vegetable, meat and fish outlets. Each shop in the wholesale market is provided with two parking lots for loading goods on one side and two parking lots for unloading imported goods on the other side. The layout of the market has been put down product wise – Fruits in one location and vegetables in the other; and within each section you have specific areas for potatoes, onions, etc. The market has been operational since 2003, after the shifting of the Hamriyah Central Market
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The market was constructed at a total cost of Dh152.27 million. As for the amenities offered to the public and traders, there is a mosque, car service and fuelling stations, garbage collection areas, police station, civil defence unit, post office, bank, supermarket, pharmacy, cafeteria, restaurants, labour accommodation, parking lots.
Given the fact that it is upto each trader to ensure his own suppliers; and the knowledge and understanding that the traders/ truckers exhibit is what compensates for the lack of a supply chain monitoring system and what helps the place to work like a well-oiled machine. Additionally, the level of cleanliness exhibited is far superior for a wet vegetable/ fruit market
Work at the market starts at 3am when long-distance vans arrive carrying fresh loads of vegetables shipped from across the Subcontinent. Traders have been dealing with the same wholesalers for years and their communication has by now been perfected.
To summarize a walk past the bunches of bananas from India, watermelons and musk melons from Holland, okra and spinach from Oman, Egypt and Jordan, apples and strawberries from US and Australia ... one will feel like around the world in 80 minutes!
Guys, its recession time and eating healthy and affordable fruits and vegetables make sense. Check out this place for your grocery shopping.
