Some Savusavu vegetable vendors lose up to $100 a day after throwing away produce they can’t sell because of the of the temporary market location.
Vendor Suruj Wati says they’re stuck with leftover produce at the end of the day because the present location of the temporary market for vegetable vendors was not ideal for doing business.
Ms Wati said vendors faced all kinds of problems doing business in front of shops.
“These vendors do not want to throw their produce or dump it in the trash bin,” she said.
“For most of us vendors, we buy our vegetables from farmers, and throwing away $100 worth of produce is a big loss.”
Ms Wati said they had had to deal with this problem for the past five years.
Fellow vendor Mere Macedru said many vendors sold their produce beside the road because they could get more customers compared to selling at the market.
In response, Savusavu Town Council special administrator Doreen Robinson said the market sat at a reasonable central location beside the foreshore.
Ms Robinson said the Savusavu Town area itself had limited space.
“The temporary market has been there for some time now,” she said.
“There are signs indicating to the general public where the market is located.”
Ms Robinson said the only other option was the town’s main street, which was impossible.
“I’m sure like most businesses, there are good and bad days in terms of sales and turnover,” she said.
