Further training on use of scales to be conducted with market vendors on August
July 31, 2024 3:08 am | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
By Sabrina Tabi.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Price Monitoring and Consumer Affairs (PMCA), Lissie Taura states that while in most jurisdiction in the world, locally farmed produce in subsistence farming is unregulated – for Vanuatu, this sector must be closely monitored so trading does not disadvantage consumers.
The Bureau has witnessed great disparity in pricing by the different market vendors throughout Port Vila alone and is highly concerned that should the Price Control mechanism of the Bureau be imposed; a lot of vendors may not receive the comfort of covering their costs which is also a great issue in Vanuatu due to different cost factors.
Daily Post speaking to the CEO has brought to light the importance of vendors throughout Port Vila being receptive, and that is to adopt fully the use of scale for their trading.
As noted from the CEO, prior to full implementation of scales starting from Efate, PMCA is teaming up with the Port Vila Municipality to ensure market vendors receive training to equip them with basic skills on calculating pricing of goods along with use of scales.
This decision was made following a recent two-day workshop involving various stakeholders, including the Public Land Transport Authority, Vanuatu Bureau of Statistics, Primary Producers Authority, and market managers, focused on reviewing price lists and concluded that vendors need more training on entrepreneurship to appreciate the usage of scale.
According to the PMCA CEO, many vendors currently sell their produce only to make ends meet through subsistence farming.
The training will help them decide if trading of locally farmed produce is something they wish to take on in the commercial space.
“When we educate vendors on the usage of scale and they put this to use, it empowers and enables vendors to make decisions on type of crop that is lucrative and sustaining for their small family. Practical side of this is looking at farming as a business prospect when it covers more than basic need but as a potential investment opportunity,” said CEO Taura.
Further reiterating on regulation of local farmed produce, she mentions that with the current inflation rate, the country can be helped by mass producing in the agriculture space and a driver for industry activities.
“Our local vendors may not experience huge profits from their one-off sales but with information on unit pricing of goods, they can predict what their profits can be after costs are covered on mass production level. Customers also benefit as they can plan around shopping at local markets, having access to crop unit prices,” she added.
Ms Taura highlighted that at the end of the day, what the PMCA is trying to promote is collaboration across sectors where farmers are consistently mass producing so prices can be reduced, the opportunity and a choice for Value Addition is there.
Importantly, with consistent and increased supply, pricing can be reduced for everyone’s benefit.
This can only be achieved with every productive sector mechanism working together including Department of Health and Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) clinics in the country.
“Rolling out of scales is a good starting point, and PMCA and its stakeholders with the assistance of PVMC should start conducting trainings for vendors throughout Efate in August 2024 so scale implementation can be rolled out thereafter,” the CEO concluded.
