24-year-old Nikhil Singh is hoping that selling vegetables at the new Laqere Market will improve his family's situation as he has lost his job because of COVID-19.
Singh who was a video editor for a major retail company says he was laid off a few months ago and because of that his family had lost their source of income.
He says they have a flat on rent but that is not enough for his family.
The Nepani resident says this is the first time they have ventured into selling vegetables and he is hoping he will be able to sell his own produce by next month as it is a quite expensive buying from other suppliers.
Singh is hoping his mother will not have to work as a sales assistant anymore and they will be able to earn a decent living.
Other vendors are also hopeful that they will succeed despite the high prices of vegetables.
Another vendor, Nirmal Singh says he used to sell vegetables from house to house but he now hopes people would come to the market as it has a good environment.
He says he buys vegetable from Sigatoka Valley which right now is expensive as he is paying upto $100 for a bag of eggplants.
He adds he would plant his own vegetables but he does not have the land to do so.
