Vegetable prices at the Labasa Market have risen sharply, raising concerns among both vendors and consumers.
Speaking to fijivillage News, market vendor Rakesh Chand from Natabe, Daku in Labasa says the price hike is mainly due to heavy rainfall affecting farms in the area.
Chand explains that flooding from continuous rain has damaged many farms, reducing the supply of vegetables and driving prices up.
He says long beans are currently selling for $5 per bundle, cabbage for $7 per bundle, and cucumbers are priced at $2 each.
He adds that while he usually earns a reasonable income on regular days, sales have dropped during this period due to limited vegetable availability.
Chand adds with Christmas over and the New Year approaching, Chand says he plans to save whatever he earns now to prepare for the months ahead.
