Areas affected include Korotari, Dreketi Lailai, Vunimoli and Vunicuicui after floods caused by the severe TC Winston and a tropical depression (TD) 04F damaged farms.

Vendor, Kiran Lata, who has been in the business for more than 20 years said her income had been affected. "We don't usually face this kind of shortage in supply of vegetables in the past but TC Winston and the low depression has caused big damage."

As a result, she said most of their suppliers were not able to supply vegetables on time. "Due to the shortage of supply, we have to buy a bag of eggplants for $20 compared to $5 before. We have also had to increase our vegetable prices but we need to make a profit too."

Shakuntala Devi, another vendor, was forced to cut down her order of vegetables. "A bag of Chinese cabbage that used to cost $10 now costs $30 so we have to sell them for $3 a bundle. It will take some time before the prices drop as suppliers need to wait for their farms to recover.”

Source: fijitimes.com