A DROP in vegetable prices at the Labasa Market has been attributed to crop recovery and increase in supply from farmers.
Vendors said because of the supply hike, not many people were buying vegetables from Sigatoka – something they were forced to do following tropical cyclones Yasa and Ana.
Vendor Dharmend Prasad said Labasa farmers supplied vegetables and root crops at cheaper prices compared with growers from Sigatoka.
“It’s common sense that vegetables from Viti Levu will be more expensive but we are blessed to be able to buy from our farmers again,” he said.
“That is why the prices of vegetables have dropped like a bundle of long beans that used to be $8 is now $4 and pumpkins that used to be $6 are now $4.
“So it’s a positive sign for us because it means farmers are slowly recovering.”
Sushila Wati, a vendor for 20 years, said they could save on costs because of the drop in prices.
“We don’t have to buy a lot of vegetables from Sigatoka, only pawpaws and some fruits,” she said.
