Suva’s Municipal Market
When you come into Suva – either by sea, or on the Queen’s Road after a drive along the coast, or on Edinburgh Drive on your way from Nausori Airport – the market is one of the first reminders that this is a cosmopolitan town. With its vendors and their wares from different cultures, it is not only Suva’s major food supplier and a means of livelihood for thousands of people, but is also a celebration – a six-day fair.
The Suva Municipal Market was established in the 1950s and over the decade has evolved from its humble beginnings to its current status of a bustling and busy market and is the biggest in the country.
The market provides a place to sell and buy dry goods, seafood, vegetables and other primary agriculture produces. The Council provides table spaces for the vendors at a minimal daily fee. The Council also has market kiosks for rental around the Suva Market Area.
Products available in the market vary according to the clientele to which they cater. All the market offers are stalls for a wide variety of selections of fresh, sun-ripened produce – papayas, mangoes, bananas, pineapples and coconuts, as well as taro (dalo), breadfruit (uto), cassava (tavioka or tapioca) and other vegetables more familiar to visitors from western countries. There is a stalls provided where they can sell thick ropes of tobacco leaves, yaqona – both in roots and powdered form.
There is a section in the market where they sell mussels, and sea food.
The Market at its full capacity on busy days especially on Fridays and Saturdays houses approximately 3500 vendors. Vendors come from the various provinces to sell their farm produce and other sea food.