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Table 5 COVID-19 impacts on market vendors in Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa

From: Farmer and market vendor perceptions of COVID-19 impacts on horticultural fresh food systems in Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa

Participant survey responses (%)

Tonga

Fiji

Samoa

Vendor type

 Municipal market vendors

26.9

100

26

 Road-side market vendors

73.1a

0 b

70

 Permanent vendor stalls

  

51

Temporary or mobile vendor stalls

  

19

 Retail/supermarket

  

4

Level of vendor experience (time trading)

 Less than 6 months c

19.5

9.3

17

 6 months to 20 years

78

70.4

70

 More than 20 years

2.5

20.3

13

Has COVID-19 impacted on your ability to source crops to sell?

 No

43.2

25.5

52

 Yes

56.8

73.2

22

 Unsure

  

26

How has COVID-19 impact on your ability to source crops?

 Prices have gone up

11.9

49.5

15

 Less money to buy from farmers

7.6

32.9

26

 Travel restrictions

31.4

31.9

4

 Farmers are harvesting less

16.1

13.4

8

 Municipal market was closed or had restricted opening hours

0.8

10.2

22

 Transport costs have increased

5.9

7.4

3

Has COVID-19 changed where you source crops from?

 No

90.7 d

87.5

66

 Yes

8.5

11.6

8

 Unsure

  

26

 Where are you alternatively sourcing product due to COVID-19?

   

 Wherever I can get a good price

4.2

3.2

–

 Traders or agro-marketing agents

0.8

3.2

–

 Family farm

0.8

1.4

6

 Other market vendors

2.5

0.5

3

 Shop or retail outlet

–

–

2

Has consumer demand changed?

 No

15.2

3.2

7

 Yes. Consumers are buying less

60.2

58.3

59

 Yes. There are fewer consumers

33.1

35.6

61

 Yes. There are more customers

16.9

1.9

27

How else has COVID-19 impacted on you as a market vendor?

 I am making less money

65.3

96.8

65

 I am making more money

12.7

3.7

20

 I am working longer hours

3.4

15.7

19

 I am working less hours

27.9

14.4

51

 Fewer places to sell (market closed or reduced trading hours)

4.2

6.5

6.0

Has crop loss or waste on-farm increased during COVID-19?

 No

32.2

25.5

55

 Yes

67.8

72.2

44

 Unsure

 

2.3

1

  1. a Vendor interviews in Tonga did not segregate road-side vendors according to vendor stall type (trading structures)
  2. b Road-side market vendors were not surveyed in Fiji
  3. c Vendor who commenced trading during COVID-19. The vast majority being road-side vendors (94.1% in Samoa and 82.6% in Tonga). Road-side vendors were not assessed in Fiji
  4. d 79.3% of the vendors interviewed in Tonga sourced product from their own farm or family farm, with 7.4% sourcing product from other vendors (municipal and road-side) and 4.4% from commercial farms