Hyderabad, Feb. 17 -- With just two weeks until the holy month of Ramzan, Hyderabad's markets are witnessing a surge in demand for khajoor (dates). A staple for breaking the fast, dates from around the world are making their way into local shops, adding to the festive spirit.

Dates from all over the globe are imported by traders and supplied in the local markets. The people purchase it in the retail market and consume it throughout the month. Traditional Muslims break roza (fast) with dates. More than two dozen varieties of dates are imported during the Ramzan month from Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, United Arab Emirates and Oman.

The city through different agents gets hundreds of tons of dates from Mumbai. These dat...