Garden food expensive

IT is good to note that there has been a lot of statement on eating healthy food especially fresh fruits and vegetables.
The message on the need to eat fresh garden food is getting louder during this period when we are living under the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many have stated that eating healthy garden food will help strengthen our immune system.
Yes, we all know that from high school but we are being reminded again in light of this crisis.
It has been told that Covid-19 will easily kill those who have low immune systems.
I believe that is true not only for Covid-19 but other (lifestyle) diseases as well.
I am a person who eats fruits and vegetables more than store goods.
Not because of Covid-19 but that has been my life style.
However, in recent years the prices of fresh produce from the market have gone very high that I couldn’t afford them anymore.
I’m talking about the main food crops such as sweet potato, banana, taro, yam, cassava, pawpaw, citrus fruits, watermelon etc.
It’s now becoming very uneconomical to buy my favourite crops from the local market.
I hope it is the same with the other urban markets.
A kilo of rice for K5, can feed at least three to four people.
Whereas the same K5 will allow me to buy only four very small sweet potatoes that can be consumed by myself.
What about the rest of my family. I have to spend another K15 to K20 so the whole family can eat sweet potato.
Can the authorities do something about this?
The markup prices at the urban markets are so high.
How can I afford the healthy fresh produce from the market?
I’m forced to depend on store goods even though I know that they are not healthy.
I can’t afford the garden food.
Some prices at the market are unbelievable.
It should be a win-win system for both sellers and buyers and not sellers robbing the buyers.
I know there are costs involved in bringing garden food from the farm or wholesale market to the local markets but markups should be reasonable.
Instead of just encouraging citizens to buy and eat garden food, authorities should make it affordable.
Do market surveys and help the buyers by regulating the prices of fresh produce.
Be considerate to our buyers so they can continue to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Also there is less competition at the local markets, as the places are dominated by few groups who set the price as they wish without the slightest consideration for buyers.
Any seller especially from the village (Central) who wants to sell at a good price is ridiculed and even physically abused.
The poor seller is forced to sell at the same price the rest are selling.
There are women gangs in urban markets who control and set the prices.
It’s not a case of supply and demand determining the price.
I observe this confrontation all the time.
There seems to be lack of control and management at these markets to protect those sellers who want to sell at reasonable prices for the benefit of the buyers.
In light of this coronavirus pandemic, it’s an opportune time for authorities to come down to our level and see the challenges we are faced with; high cost of garden food.
Instead of only monitoring prices of store goods, Independent Consumer and Competition Commission should come up with regulatory framework for garden food for urban centres so urban dwellers can afford garden food.
For a healthy PNG, please make garden food affordable for city dwellers.

Iki Peter,
Dynasty Tower,
Savannah Heights, Waigani