Korman vendors trained to use scale
March 24, 2026 9:42 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
Twenty market vendors selling produces at the Korman Market have completed a training on how to use a scale, as part of ongoing efforts to ensure fair trading practices in local markets.
Conducted by the Bureau of Price Monitoring and Consumer Affairs (BoPMCA) with support from the Port Vila City Council (PVCC) Market Master, the training focused on how to properly use and read a scale, and how to calculate the price of local produce based on the official price list.
This is to make sure that both vendors and consumers understand fair pricing based on weight before any transaction takes place, according to the BoPMCA.
BoPMCA Chief Executive Officer (CEO, Lissie Tuura-Jovinmal, said the consistent pricing of garden produce helps consumers plan their budgets effectively and make better decisions when purchasing healthy food.
She said that the system also aims to change mindset; that farming should not only be for subsistence but also become a commercial business.
The CEO said the system aligns with government policy on value addition, encouraging Ni-Vanuatu farmers to move beyond subsistence farming and become business operators who contribute to the national supply chain, industry, and economy.
During the training, vendors have raised concerns about farmers outside Efate who follow Port Vila’s retail price list when selling their produce to vendors at Korman.
BoPMCA clarified that the introduced price list is intended only for retailers on Efate. Farmers supplying produce from other islands should provide a proper wholesale price to allow Korman and Efate vendors to make a small profit while following the price list.
Vendors also said that although they appreciate the use of scales, the cost of seeds for planting is too high. If there were free seeds provided by the Government to markets using scales, it would increase the quantity and quality of produce while keeping prices fair, since seed costs and price lists can otherwise become a burden.
Vendors also want the Government, through the Vanuatu Primary Producers Authority (VPPA) and the Department of Agriculture (DARD), to visit them and provide advice on commercial farming practices and how to join subsidy programs available in the country.
After the training, Korman Market will now start preparing to use scales for selling food to support the local population around the area and those passing through the market.
BoPMCA emphasized that this initiative is an important step toward making markets in Vanuatu more transparent and fair for everyone.
BoPMCA assured that scale training is one way to ensure that markets in Vanuatu are fair for all.
All vendors who participated in the training are acknowledged, as well as the management of Malasitapu Presbyterian Church in Freswota for providing the venue for the training.
