– Number 46, shouts from the meat counter. The sound level is loud inside the immigrant shop at Svinesund. Kilo upon kilo of halal butchered meat is being sold at record speed to the over a hundred people standing in the queue. – I think it is meat that is the thing for many people, and also for us, says Shaker Sharif from Oslo. Friends Shaker Sharif and Paine Mukama are together on a trip to Svinesund to do some last-minute shopping. Photo: Rahand Bazaz / news Together with his friend Paine Mukama, he has taken the trip by bus across the border to shop. – It becomes very chaotic when people arrive at the last minute, he says. Thursday starts the fasting month of Ramadan. Then Muslims abstain from food and drink between dawn and sunset. Lent itself can offer challenging days with many hours without sustenance, but Sharif looks forward to the fellowship of the next four weeks. – Ramadan is important to me. I spend time with my family, strengthen closeness to my religion and take care to eat at the right times of the day, says Sharif. Five buses arrive daily The BR Food store in Svinesund has the highest turnover in the weeks before Ramadan, but also sells a lot during the fasting month. – It is full speed here, and we are ready for that. We have customers from many different nationalities who come here to buy, among other things, halal slaughtered meat, says store manager Hamed Sindi. The store collaborates with several bus companies and every day before Ramadan, up to five buses arrive with customers from the Oslo region. – For Muslims this is Christmas Eve, he smiles. Here, several kilograms of beef are cut up for sale. The butchers have a lot to do in the days before Ramadan starts. Photo: Rahand Bazaz / news The Swedish krone exchange rate does not play along with the Norwegian customers during the day. In recent weeks, the Swedish krona has strengthened significantly. The meat producer Roar Stang currently offers a number of halal products in Norway. They recognize that the selection is too poor. – We feel that the supply of halal meat in Norway is and has been too poor. Our job is to get into a position where we can deliver a wider range of groceries, and we have been too bad at that, says general manager Paal Stang. Nortura also has great demand for halal meat in Norway. Their range has had few changes in recent years. – The demand for halal is now very high, especially for whole lamb, says Thomas Lagarhus, head of industrial sales. Ramadan can present challenges Several people point to the selection as the biggest reason why they choose to shop in Sweden. Especially those who live some distance from the border. Kareem Sadeg has filled up the shopping cart with a number of items. – There is not as much halal food in Norway as here in Sweden, which is why I come here to shop before Ramadan, says Sadeg. Imran Asif. Photo: Tomas Berger / news Imran Asif mostly buys chicken. – The selection is better, but so is the price. It is important to me, especially now that prices have increased in Norway. Now he is looking forward to Ramadan, despite the fact that it can present challenges. – We’ll see how it turns out. It will be a bit long days, says Asif. Are you thinking of something? Hi! Would you like to advise me on a possible case? Feel free to contact us by e-mail.
ttn-69
Norwegian Muslims shop in Sweden before Ramadan – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
