Vendors Voice Concerns Over Price Hikes
Market Vendors have vented out their concerns, regarding the cost of supply of produce and transportation.
Thursday 04 April 2024 | 14:42
(From top left) Suva Municipal Market vendor Sinate Bale, Suva Municipal Market vendor Pita Baleca and Laisani Vatuwaliwali at her stall in the Namaka Market in Nadi. (Bottom left) Fareen Azam at her stall in the Namaka Market in Nadi, Isikeli Rasei at his stall in the Namaka Market in Nadi and Jag Dahi at the Labasa Market on April 3, 2024.
Market Vendors have vented out their concerns, regarding the cost of supply of produce and transportation.
In such instances some market vendors are facing trials of paying transportation from their farms to municipal markets.
Suva
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At the Suva Municipal Market, Sinate Bale has been a market vendor for more than 10 years.
She said for years it had been costly getting a supply of vegetables such as tomatoes and cabbage from a middle man.
Ms Bale said most women vendors work long hours, but their income is not steady.
She claimed most vendors’ savings were not secured during times of crisis, such as the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Suva Municipal Market vendor Sinate Bale.
The mother of five children said even though the farmers who supply vegetables sell at a higher price and she must cover that cost when she puts it on her table to sale.
Another market vendor, Manjula Devi of Lagalaga, Labasa, who has her own farm, said too much rain over the past few weeks has affected her business.
“For six years I have been working on my vegetable farm and from Monday to Friday I sell at the market,” Ms Devi said.
“This is the only way I can earn money to have my three children to go to school.”
The 39-year-old mother said she has no choice but to sell at a higher price because in a day, she must fork out $13 for bus fare and $3 per day to wheelbarrow boys to help.
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