Filo keeps at it despite slow business
FILOMENA Naniu makes a living selling root crops and vegetables at the Suva Municipal Market
Originally from Laselevu Village in Naitasiri Ms Naniu has been a market vendor for almost two years.
The mother of five sells vudi, banana, ota, cassava, chillies, lemon and passionfruit.
She said her produce were from their farm planted by her husband, a farmer.
Ms Naniu sells two days a week and leaves her home at 7am so she makes it to her stall on time.
Apart from her weekly produce the 35-year-old also sells mats and owns a yaqona farm too.
“We rely on our produce and ever since our children were in school we have been buying their school stationery and their uniforms this way,” Ms Naniu said.
When COVID-19 hit last year, she said they felt the brunt of it as there weren’t much buying and they lost out because of the decline in customers.
“As you can see right now some of the market stalls are empty because market vendors are not earning enough.”
Ms Naniu adds that the market business was up and down and one would have to just stay the course.
“When it’s good, it’s good, sometimes business is slack,” she said.
Like most vendors, her revenue had dropped significantly and because of widespread unemployment, the road ahead did not look good.
She said vendors were forced to reduce prices to make goods affordable and to ensure they took something home every day.
“No matter that we went through, we still loved and supported each other and always taught our children to be grateful for what they had.”