Broken ice plant adds pressure on Labasa fish vendors

Rising fuel costs are adding pressure on fish vendors in Labasa, who say they are paying more for ice because of a broken ice plant.

Vendors at the Labasa Fish Market are calling on Government to repair the facility and allocate funding in the upcoming national budget.

Fish vendor Mereliki Bulitavu said the cost of buying ice had increased, while vendors were also forced to arrange their own transport to the market.

“We go out fishing and have to buy our own fuel, and fuel has become very expensive,” Ms Bulitavu said.

She said the rising cost of living was making it harder for vendors to earn a profit.

“Things are getting expensive, and almost every month we are seeing fuel increases,” she said.

Ms Bulitavu said repairing the ice plant would ease some of the financial burden on vendors.

“We have many overhead costs, and at times we are left with very little money,” she said.

Another vendor, Saheel Lal, said the ice plant had been out of operation for an extended period.

“This is the longest breakdown. Repairs are done, but after a while it becomes inoperable again,” Mr Lal said.

He said rising fuel costs were forcing vendors to reconsider their livelihoods.

“The fuel costs are making us question whether we can continue selling fish at the market,” he said.

Vendors said the lack of a reliable ice supply was affecting the quality and storage of fish, forcing them to spend more to keep their catch fresh.

They are urging authorities to prioritise repairs to support local fishers and vendors.

Questions sent to Principal Fisheries Officer North Tekata Toaisi remained unanswered.