THE Fiji Retailers Association has welcomed the new wage increase imposed by the Ministry of Labour.
Association president Himmat Lodhia said the increase was sustainable for most businesses.
"We understand there are a lot of small and medium enterprises who are still struggling and may find difficulty in paying the prescribed new wages," he said.
"A few retailers are paying above the minimum wage guideline as the supply and demand of good and trained personnel are in high demand."
Mr Lodhia said retailers in Fiji were slowly getting out of the difficult doldrums of low sales and low profits. "The cost of doing business has gone up in almost every sector."
He said the association believed the best way forward was to increase productivity.
"Increased productivity is in our charter and should be the rule of the day in every facet of business," he said.