By Ayman Adly/Staff ReporterPrices at Doha’s Central Vegetable and Fruit Market cannot be practically fixed or permanently stabilised on account of practical reasons though the Consumer Protection Department issues a daily price list.Early in the morning, prices are a bit higher than when the sale comes to close in the afternoon. Most vendors, especially those selling fresh vegetables, want to get rid of their goods by the end of the day as they lack adequate storage facilities.“So if one goes by around 11am, he would find the prices cheaper than at 7am because in the early morning vendors hope for better deals so they offer less reduction,” a regular visitor to the market said. Often customers ask about the starting price, then they begin to negotiate with vendors, ultimately asking for “the last price”. Some salesmen when offering their goods would say, for instance, “this is for QR20, but I’ll give for QR18”. As the customer moves away unsatisfied some sellers even call him back offering more reduction. Many customers check the quality and quantity of the fruits and vegetables they want, take a tour around the market to compare prices and then pick and choose what suits them most. The market has a number of porters to assist shoppers in carrying their purchases. The porters in faded green uniforms push wheel-barrows and offer their services to potential customers; “You need a porter?” they would approach customers as they enter the market. With most of them getting a salary of as little as QR500 a month, a tip of QR5 or above would make them happy to follow a shopper, carry the things and finally load them in his car.In the adjacent fish market the practice is almost the same. A wide variety of fish is on display. Sellers would give a starting price for a kilo or a fish in some cases, then if it is late and approaching noon, the price would be reduced with generous offers on the purchase of big quantities. Most salesmen would not like to keep their goods for the next day. Customers also can enjoy a cleaning service for QR1 a kilo. While the fish market is air-conditioned and is getting better and cleaner with the on-going renovation work, the vegetable and fruit market is in the open air and often not very clean, especially in the summer heat. Most consumers see the need to renovate the place. Still, customers leave the market satisfied at the quality and prices, which they think is far lower than retail rates at supermarkets.