Ramadan bazaar stallholders undaunted by wet weather forecast

Stallholders at Ramadan bazaars are refusing to have their spirits dampened by the unseasonably wet weather forecast for the next few days, and said they could still depend on online sales if people stayed away.

- Zachary Lim

"With no covered linkway into the bazaar, the number of customers will definitely be fewer, but we run our business on Instagram as well, so we are still able to maintain sales," said Mr Syed Shamroz Khan, owner of Mr Pani Puri at the sheltered Geylang Serai Ramadan bazaar.

Since 2023, customers have been able to order panipuri, a traditional Indian snack, from Mr Syed online and have it delivered, and he is counting on this avenue to keep up sales.

He added that most vendors now accept online or mobile orders.

The weatherman says heavy downpours are expected from March 19 to 21 in the third monsoon surge of the year.

The forecast event is uncommon, as monsoon surges tend to occur during the earlier phase of the north-east monsoon season, between December and January. Singapore is currently in the end phase of the monsoon season, which lasts till March or so.

The Republic experiences two to four monsoon surges each year, on average.

While vendors across at least a dozen bazaars operating island-wide in the run-up to Hari Raya Puasa on March 31 are expected to experience some dropping off of sales as a result, many are staying hopeful.

Mr Shabeer Khan, owner of Samad & Sons, a carpet and rug retailer at the Geylang Serai bazaar, is unfazed as well, and said people still need to shop for the festive season.