Sunita Devi, a vendor at the Nausori Municipal Market, says job losses caused by COVID-19 has resulted in an influx of traders.
She said while many long-term vendors understood the need for people to earn to provide for their families, sales and earnings had declined significantly.
The mother of two said selling at the market was her family’s only source of income after her husband lost his job because of the pandemic.
“I’ve been selling at the market for the last four years and things have never been this bad,” the 45-year-old said.
Ms Devi sells eggplants, tomatoes, chillies, breadfruit and ginger she buys from Naitasiri farmers.
“I can’t even sell a plate of tomatoes because there are so many vendors now.
“Some people who lost their jobs ended up selling vegetables here and sales are now very low, we have all been affected.
“I have to try and sell something so that I can put food on our table and also pay the water and electricity bills.”
