We will have to change eating habits, say residents

We will have to change eating habits, say residents
By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter GULF NEWS Published: April 03, 2008, 00:05

Abu Dhabi: Residents are annoyed by the expected rise in prices of rice and pulses due to an export ban by India and Pakistan.

South Indians are especially unhappy as they cannot do without their staple food, non-basmati rice. "Although I am a diabetic, I cannot avoid eating a small amount of rice, even if it is against my doctor's advice, said Ansar Chirayinkizh, an Abu Dhabi resident from Kerala.

"I think most South Indians are in the same position. A price rise will affect their monthly budget badly," he said


Lakshmi Ashok, a Keralite housewife who has been living in Sharjah for the past 12 years, said her family will miss their favourite "Palakkdan Matta", a non-basmati rice from Kerala. "We may try alternatives like Thai rice or switch to other dishes using wheat flour, but that too will get more expensive," said Ashok.

Dr Shemeema Abdul Nazer, a Dubai resident from India, said eating rice may become less frequent among her compatriots due to the price rise. "Bachelors are already changing their food habits."

Some Indians have also begun to avoid rice for medical reasons such as diabetes, as rice contains a high amount of carbohydrates, said the doctor.

A Sri Lankan family in Dubai said they might also try alternatives to non-basmati rice.

"Nowadays we have rice for both lunch and dinner, but we might be compelled to switch to other alternatives," said Nishantha Perera, a human resources manager in Dubai.

Abdul Rahman Fatahulla Al Marzouqi, an Emirati in Abu Dhabi, said he could not do away with rice, even if the price goes up.

Sabahath, a Pakistani teacher in Abu Dhabi, said she reduced the frequency of eating rice to once a week due to the price rise. "Now people like me might further reduce it to twice in a month," she said.