The Nausori Town Council is currently reviewing the operating hours of the Nausori Market to accommodate vendors and address the growing demand from customers.

Council chief executive officer Anurashika Bari said they had noticed vendors moving their produce to the streets to sell after the market closes.

Vendors at the Nausori Market come as far as Ba, Rakiraki, Tavua and Sigatoka.

The market, which accommodates 1300 vendors on weekends and 600 to 800 vendors on weekdays, currently operates from 7am to 6pm from Monday to Friday and 6am to 6pm on Saturdays.

Last Saturday, the council put up new tents donated by UN Women for vendors outside and around the market.

About 300 vendors have benefitted from the new tents.

“The council has noted an increase in the number of casual vendors and because of this the challenge is the space to accommodate all these vendors inside the market,” Ms Bari said.

“There is limited space therefore we have to accommodate them outside. Some have tents and some don’t and we are happy that UN Women has come forward in a partnership to help the municipal councils by assisting women vendors.”

UN Women has donated 104 tents across all municipal councils in Fiji. She also highlighted that the Nausori Market Manager Jitendra Singh has identified more than 25 roadside vendors who will be relocated to the market.

“We have seen a number of vendors selling from the roadside and we are trying to relocate them to the market. We want to keep the footpaths and roadside clear and it is also for their safety,” she said.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce