埃及：金融危机使“奥巴马”枣价格下跌

Ramadan tradition dictates that Egypt's fruit-sellers nickname their dates to reflect unofficial popularity ratings, but this year the global recession has forced down the price of the 'Obama'.

Named after US President Barack Obama who chose Cairo to deliver a landmark speech to the world's Muslims in June, the popular date was expected to sell for 25 Egyptian pounds (around 4.5 dollars) a kilogram (2.2 pounds).

"People can't afford dates this year, we had to bring the price down to 15 pounds (2.7 dollars)," said Mohammed, a fruit vendor in the bustling Sayyeda Zeinab neighbourhood.

Emulating the Prophet Mohammed, Muslims traditionally eat a date and drink milk to break the dawn-to-dusk fast during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, whose beginning is set according to the sighting of the moon.

A savvy shopper knows that the good dates are light brown, shiny and sweet.

Competing with "Obama", the second-most expensive date on the market after the "High Dam" which sells for 18 pounds, are the "Abutrika" variety named after popular midfielder Mohammed Abutrika who plays for local team Al-Ahly, showing that politics and football are never far from Egyptians' minds.

At 10 Egyptian pounds (1.8 dollars) are the "Columbo" dates, named after the 1970s American TV series starring Peter Falk as homicide detective Lieutenant Columbo, re-runs of which have played regularly on Egyptian television.

Egypt is the world's top date producer with 1.1 million tonnes a year.

受斋月传统影响，埃及水果商常根据枣椰的受欢迎程度来给它们命名。但今年，由于全球经济衰退，“奥巴马”枣椰的价格也随之下跌。

广受欢迎的“奥巴马”枣椰得名于美国总统巴拉克·奥巴马，其预期售价为每公斤（合2.2磅）25埃磅（约合4.5美元）。奥巴马于今年六月在开罗向全世界的穆斯林发表重要讲话。

在繁忙的萨耶达•柴那不区卖水果的默罕默德说：“今年人们买不起枣椰，所以我们只好把价格降到15埃磅（2.7美元）。”

为了效仿先知穆罕默德，穆斯林通常在神圣的斋月期间每日吃一个枣椰和喝牛奶来开斋。斋戒一般从黎明开始，一直持续至黄昏。斋月的开始时间则根据月亮的盈亏来确定。

有挑枣经验的人都知道，好的枣椰呈淡棕色，有光泽而且很甜。

“奥巴马”枣仅次于每公斤售价18埃镑的“高坝”枣，为市场第二大最贵品种。和“奥巴马”枣不相上下的是“阿布特里卡”枣，这一品种根据颇具人气的足球中场球员穆罕默德•阿布特里卡的名字命名。阿布特里卡是埃及当地阿尔阿赫利俱乐部的球员，可见政治和足球一直都是埃及人关心的话题。

每公斤售价10埃磅（1.8美元）的“哥伦布”枣则根据上世纪70年代的一部美剧中由皮特•佛尔克饰演的谋杀案侦探哥伦布中尉而命名。这部电视剧在埃及经常重播。

埃及是全世界最大的枣椰生产国，年产量为110万吨。

Vocabulary:

Ramadan: the ninth month of the Muslim year, 30 days long, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset 伊斯兰教历的九月，斋月（在此月间教徒白天禁食）

date: the brown, sticky fruit of the date palm, a kind of tree growing in the tropics 枣椰

landmark: having great import or significance 有重大意义的

re-run: a program that is broadcast again （电视节目的）重新播放，重播电视片