ShareBy Ben Garcia
KUWAIT: With the drop in temperature in the past few days, there's been a huge increase in the sales of braziers at the tin market in Kuwait City. According to a sales attendant at Souq Safafeer, demand has risen by almost 70 percent. "In the past few days, brazier sales have gone up by about 70 percent. This is good because we usually only sell a few units," said Taher. Taher's workshop is opposite the shop where he displays his finished products. "I have hired extra workers to help make the braziers. I can sell around 15 to 20 units daily, which will help me recover from the days without customers," he added.
The increase in demand was seen only last week, when the temperature dropped to a minimum of 2 degrees Celsius in the desert. "Kuwaitis and expats are buying our braziers. Most of them need it for camping or for the garden to warm them up," Taher added.
Kuwaiti Meteorologist Adel Saadoun said last week frigid temperatures could last for more days. Hamad, a customer at the souq, said he needed a new brazier to replace the old one he had bought two years ago. "I searched for it in my storage, but I couldn't find it. Maybe my wife threw it away, so I bought a new one, since we have plans to go to the desert during the weekdays during my off," he said.
Souq Safafeer is located in Sharq Industrial Area, where one can find several items made of metal or wood. The souq is a collection of various shops and workshops, with its origins dating back to the 1950s. Workers make metal and tin braziers, storage lockers and boxes, fences, stove hoods, pots and other items on site. The shops also take custom orders and deliver within a few days.
The current cold wave affecting Kuwait may continue until the end of January, Saadoun said in a statement yesterday, noting that the minimum temperature could drop below zero on some days, especially in open areas. Saadoun had warned last week of the hazards of leaving burning charcoal inside closed tents while camping in the desert. "I want to caution everyone against using coal for heating. The problem is when they are in the desert, they do not know the danger it poses to the environment and individuals' wellbeing. If they light the charcoal and go to sleep, the carbon monoxide produced by the coal can kill them, so I advise campers to avoid using charcoal for heating," Saadoun said. "Always wear comfortable jackets and head covers to protect your body," he added.
