Longtime Suva Market vendor Bobby Ram says unstable supply, rising prices, and reduced farming activity are making business increasingly difficult for both sellers and consumers.
Ram, who has spent 44 years selling fruits and vegetables at the market, says sales have dropped by around 60 percent, with the festive season failing to deliver the usual boost in business.
He shares that with the heavy rain and extreme weather across Fiji have disrupted supply from both interior and coastal farming areas, leaving markets with a shortage of vegetables.
He says these shortages have caused prices to rise sharply, and cassava now costs between $70 and $80 per bag, while coconuts are almost unavailable.
Ram adds that staple crops such as yam, coconut, and rourou have decease from the market altogether.
He notes that vendors are often accused of overcharging, but insists prices reflect limited supply and high wholesale costs.
Ram also points to a broader decline in farming, driven by labour shortages and increased migration overseas.
He says many farms and village lands are now lying idle, with some households relying on overseas remittances rather than agriculture, further reducing local food production.
With the cost of living rising and money becoming tighter for many families, Ram is urging the government to promote farming through public awareness campaigns.
Insert: Bobby Ram 29th Dec 25
He is also calling on households and village communities to engage in small-scale farming to improve food security and ease pressure on market prices.
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