Payday shopping: business as usual or not? |07 April 2020

The last weekend of each month is usually the busiest for most businesses as shoppers flock to stock up on essential goods, settle their bills and make preparations for the month ahead, until the next paycheck.

Market Street, on which the iconic Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke market proudly stands, is arguably the most frequented street during such periods, most notably on Saturday mornings when it comes alive as locals and visitors alike hustle and bustle their way to their favourite market vendors, fish stalls and neighbouring malls.

Last weekend however, was quite the contrast as many more keep to observing public health advisories and decide to stay home, like many others around the world are, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the lack of buyers, most vendors were present as usual offering an array of locally grown produce alongside imported varieties, fish of all types and sizes and other favourites including condiments, chips and fresh juices.

Fruit vendor Steve Elizabeth, who sells mainly imported fruits supplied by distributors including the Seychelles Trading Company (STC), said he has observed a significant decrease in sales since the outbreak of the disease and implementation of national precautionary measures.

“There is a big change and there are lots of complaints, and people are just not coming down. The number of people have dramatically slowed down and the imported products are coming in at inflated prices,” he observed.

“Local production is really low which shows us that importation dominates. I sell only imported products and I know I will be very much affected but I have had to come up with a Plan B. I try to ensure that I always have a back-up plan for whatever calamity life presents.”

Mr Elizabeth, who is well-known and often popular among shoppers attracted by reggae jams blaring from his stall, thinks the worst is yet to come as trade and commerce continue to be disrupted and supply chains affected by the pandemic. In his line of work where products have short shelf lives, and especially as a vendor reliant on imported fruits and vegetables, he could in the foreseeable future be faced with shortages, despite distributors assuring that stock levels can be sustained.

“I’m very disappointed with agriculture in Seychelles and I think those in authority should have learned from the past to concentrate more on developing our local agricultural sector. I think once again this will serve as a wake-up call to get things moving so in the event of emergencies, we can be self-sustaining,” Mr Elizabeth proposed.

Similarly, fruit and vegetable vendor Antoine Victor from Cascade, said business is not as usual as the number of people have significantly reduced and unavailability of supplies as periods prior to the pandemic.

Mr Victor employs foreign workers who during the week sell his stock at the market. On Saturdays, he usually has promotions on different fruits to make way for fresh stocks, but they have been unable to offer customers discounted prices for the past couple of Saturdays.

“I can barely meet the costs and I don’t even have enough to cover the salaries of the employees. Before, we would bring 10 cases of imported mandarins and I would have to go and get more but today I have sold only three cases. And now with shipping going through alternative routes, I suspect the stock will cost more,” he said.

The vendors have also been adversely impacted by the reduction in operating hours by half an hour during the week and one hour during weekends, a measure introduced by the government to limit the number of people in circulation even despite no recorded cases of community transmission in Seychelles, as governments and public health authorities around the world call for citizens to stay home and prevent the propagation of the infection.

Mayor of Victoria David Andre, who routinely comes to the market on Saturdays for the best produce, has also observed the significant decrease in the number of people at the market, although he noted Saturday’s humble crowd is a slight pick-up from prior weeks.

“I hope that it can get to normal soon but of course the usual activities have reduced and people are still concerned. Talking to the fishermen they are telling me of having to reduce their prices which is good for the consumers. I can tell there is a change in terms of attitudes and people are now trying to maintain their distance from each other,” Mayor Andre said.

On account of the measures in place and the ever-growing emphasis on social distancing, the Mayor himself was in a slight hurry to wrap up his shopping and head home.

“Usually I have the habit of stopping here and there and having a chat with different people but I can’t do so anymore and I am trying to minimise the amount of time I spend among large crowds,” he added.

By 11.30am, many of the vendors were stacking away their produce and getting set to retire home, with the hopes that business will pick up over the coming days.

A quick stop by Roche Caiman/ Plaisance, opposite Fresh Cuts where vendors have now become a regular sight, showed it was clearly as crowded as usual, with many vendors and customers. On sale were fruits and vegetables of all kinds, as well as a couple of fishermen selling their catch from the back of a pick-up truck at unbeatable prices.

Flowers and succulents were also available for sale, catching the eye of the many motorists who stopped by to pick up bits and bobs to restock the fridge.

“I usually stop by here as it is convenient, there is parking space close by, and I can get all that I need because all the vendors are here,” said Christina Prosper who was on the hunt for tomatoes and sweet potatoes.

It would appear the vendors at Plaisance have time to their advantage as they are not restricted by operating hours and have the additional benefit of convenient parking, as compared to vendors at the Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market. Furthermore, Plaisance being open air seems to, for now at least, provide some sort of assurance to shoppers that they can practice social distancing more effectively, as compared to the often over-crowded and stuffy market in Victoria, as authentically creole as it is.

Laura Pillay

Photos: Joena Meme