Bhubaneswar, May 2: As the capital city of Odisha is witnessing a prolonged heatwave that has disrupted life, the non-veg market has already started feeling the pinch.
Health experts and dieticians are advising to keep the body cool having more summer fruits and vegetable-based foods following which denizens of Bhubaneswar like to enjoy the ongoing vacation with traditional summer cuisines along with fish and watered-rice (pakhala).
“Earlier, I was selling over two quintals of mutton every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday except Hindu sacred celebrations on these days. Now the sale volume has decreased to 70 to 80 kg as people do not like to consume meat following the severe heatwave conditions,” said Mohammed Irshad of Unit – IV non-veg market.
The sale volume of chicken and fish has also decreased as hoteliers have turned their focus towards traditional veg cuisines to attract customers to beat the scorching heat.
The bachelors and single living office goers are regular to our roadside pocket-friendly hotels for daily lunch and dinner and mostly consume non-veg except Monday and Thursday. But, now they are demanding homely dishes like pakhala, saga bhaja, alu bharta, dahi baigana and fish fry. We have also changed our menu as per their demand, said Ashok Patnaik, who runs a hotel at Jagamara Square in the city.
Poultry being among the first victims of heatwave, chicken farming has severely been hit in the state and the supply volume has decreased due to low market demand, said poultry farmer Deepak Maharana.
The sale of fish volume has also decreased as it is fast perishing commodity.
The best strategy to survive such harsh weather conditions as per experts is to stay hydrated and seasonal fruits help the best to cool down the body by managing its core temperature.
The hot summer weather affects out body's function including digestion. Having proper food can help us keep cool. Consuming heavy, fatty or spicy will make the body feel hot and uncomfortable. Non-veg foods such as red meat, chicken and egg generate excessive body heat and best avoided during summer, said Dr Rajat Das.
Instead, watermelon, cucumber, coconut water, mint, yogurt helps in keeping the body cool and hydrated, he added.
