In the San Juan market, along the East-West corridor, there has been an overall increase in the price of produce as well. Some customers found that vendors along First and Second streets, just outside the market, were selling a few dollars cheaper that inside the market.
Shopper Liz Francis, who bought her supplies from vendor Zorina Chabrol who operates just outside the market, said "The vendors on Second Street have much cheaper prices than inside the market. I buy sweet peppers at $16 a pound, inside it's $20." She believes in shopping around for better prices and suggested that other people could do the same.
Chabrol, meanwhile, said everything was expensive—cabbage, tomatoes, celery. She said before the floods chive was being sold at three bundles for $10. She now sells it for $5 a bundle. Baigan is now $15 per pound compared to $6 or $8 previously, depending on the quality. Chabrol said once she got produce at cheaper prices, she passed on the savings to her customers.
Vendor Gerald Craig, who also sells on Second Street, found it hard to get his produce sold as a result of the higher prices brought on by the recent floods and the customers' fear of contracting leptospirosis. He emphasised that his ground provision came from St Vincent and Venezuela and some were from local suppliers in the North and not from the South, which was hard hit by the floods and where several people contracted leptospirosis.
He said tomatoes skyrocketed from $15 to $25 a pound, a huge jump from $8, $10 and $12 a pound in previous months. Tomatoes produced locally and affected by the flood was being sold at the same price as the those which were imported. Plantain was being sold at $8 from $4 and $5 per pound.
Dasheen, now being sold for $8, was previously $5 and $6, he said. Cassava was cheap—three pounds for $10, and eddoes and sweet potatoes were reduced from $10 to $8 per pound.
Craig's customer Naomi De Silva said she was aware that the high prices were as a result of the flooding, but added that it was an impetus for individuals to started their own back yard garden and save some money.
Emma Sayers Baird, a vendor who sells inside the San Juan market, said the vendors who sell on First and Second streets had an unfair advantage since they did not have to pay rent. She said last year a stall within the market was raised from $150 to $400 a month, it should be at least $250-$300 to give them a fighting chance to be competitive.
Baird said the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation banned street vending but the street vendors avoided this technicality by setting up their stalls on private lots on First and Second streets and paid the landowners a minimal fee.
IN SAN JUAN—Prices then and now
Sweet pepper—$8, now $16 and $2o
Chive—three bundles for $10, now $5 a bundle
Baigan—$6 to $8, now $15 per pound
Tomatoes—$8, $10, $12 per pound, now $15 to $25
Plantain—$4 to $5, now $8 per pound
Dasheen—$5 and $6, now$8
NAMDEVCO WHOLESALE PRICES
FRUITS
Paw paw—Kg 11.02
Banana Ripe—Kg 13.33
Watermelon—Kg NA
ROOT CROPS
Carrot—Kg 8.82
Cassava—Kg 5.56
Sweet potato (Local)—Kg 9.03
VEGETABLES
Tomato (M)—Kg 28.86
Pumpkin—Kg 6.61
Melongene (M)—Kg 22.05
Cabbage (Wh)—Kg 11.02
Cucumber—Kg 11.02
Lettuce(M)—Head 7.00
Sweet Pepper (M)—Kg 26.46
Chive (L) bundle—120.00