Traders incur losses

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Milika Vakarogocibau, right, sells fresh water mussels (kai) at the Suva market. Picture: ATU RASEA

Ota (young fern) that was usually sold for $2 a bundle went for as low as 50 cents and dalo that used to fetch $30 was reduced to $10 a bundle in the mad rush that happened over revised curfew times last month.

Suva Municipal Market vendors from Nawaisomo, Naitasiri were among the many who incurred losses because of the 4pm curfew “that never happened”.

One vendor, Sova, said they had arrived in carriers early Saturday morning and found the gates closed.

“It had been closed from 2 or 3pm the previous day after they took down the tarpaulin we used to shelter under because of the cyclone warning,” she said.

“So we had to pay the bara boys to bring our produce from the carriers outside into the market.

“Just when we’d settled in, it was announced that we had to clear our tables by 11am because the curfew had been moved up to 4pm.

“We were devastated because Saturday is when we make our biggest sale.

“We suffered a major loss and had to leave anyway even after they changed the curfew times again because we had no produce to sell anymore.”

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