This Ramadan, Hyderabadi Haleem will be more costlier and followed by strict COVID-19 precautions for takeaway outlets, decided by Haleem Makers Association in Hyderabad.
Foodies in Hyderabad will taste the delicious Haleem almost two years of Pandemic, this Ramzan season they will be able to dig into some piping hot Haleem. The Haleem Makers’ Association has decided that they will go ahead and sell the delicacy this Ramzan season.
Owing to the pandemic, last year, restaurants in the city decided to do away with Haleem, which has now become an annual ritual. While Haleem being available is great news, it will be more expensive than previous years. This is due to the additional expenses that restaurants will have to bear to ensure COVID-19 protocols are followed.
Speaking to #KhabarLive, MA Majeed, the Managing Director of Pista House and also the President of the Haleem Makers’ Association said, “We have conveyed to all the restaurants that all the COVID-19 protocols need to be strictly followed. All restaurants have conveyed that the required precautions will be taken. At Pista House, we will be quarantining all the staff eight days before the production is slated to begin. The entire staff will be tested for COVID-19 before they begin work. An in-house doctor will be made available and pulse oximeters will be used to check the oxygen saturation levels of the staff every day.”
“The staff hired will not be allowed to head out until the end of the Ramzan season. This is to keep them from contracting the virus by interacting with people outside. Due to all these efforts, the expense incurred is higher than usual years,” added Majeed.
Pista House, which sold their Haleem for Rs 190 per plate in 2019, is planning to sell their Haleem for Rs 220 a plate this year. They will begin Haleem sales only when the Ramzan season begins. Café 555 and Sarvi, which have already started serving their Haleem, are selling for Rs 200 per plate. The higher price this year is also due to the increased prices of the ingredients.
Restaurants will also be limiting the number of branches where the delicacy will be sold. The smaller restaurants are still skeptical about the demand and also about the surge in the cases in the city. “There is a general worry because a lot of people are still not eating out worried about the pandemic. Pista House has decided to sell Haleem only in around 25 branches. Usually, students take Haleem in large quantities from us and sell it across the city in around 200 locations. This time, it will only be available from our branches,” Majeed said.
Despite being flooded with calls from foodies from across the country, Pista House which has also been sending Haleem via courier to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other states, will not be sending the delicacy out of Hyderabad this year. The brand has decided to keep it low owing to the pandemic.
The production and sale of Haleem during the Ramzan season provides employment opportunities for thousands of people. The Haleem Makers’ Association says it is thankful to the government for not declaring another lockdown as businesses have already been impacted hard. They say they will take all efforts to ensure COVID-19 protocols are followed. #KhabarLive #hydnews
