Fiji Sun Online 27th April 2018
Rippling effects of climate change are no longer a joke. So says Labasa market vendor Kuldip Chand of Siberia. Mr Chand who has been selling vegetables at Labasa market for more than 30 years says a lot has changed over the years with regards to the vegetables supply.
“The influencing factor has been the change in weather pattern,” Mr Chand said. “When I started selling at the market there were few vendors like less than a hundred,” he said.
“Today it is more than a hundred. “During that time there were more farmers supplying vegetables to the market, more vegetables available and at less cost. “For example, 30 years back the cost of chauraiya used to be 30 cents a bundle and now it is $3,” the father of three children said.
“After I dropped out from Bulileka Sanatan College Year Ten, I started vegetable farming and gradually started selling at the market.” Even during off season from November to April there used to be variety of vegetables in great supply.
Now the supply has dropped. “And now even when we expect days without rain, there will be heavy rain,” he said.