This week’s Fruits & Vegetables personality is Parika, East Bank Essequibo resident and vendor, Rajwanti. A mother of three and grandmother of six, she has been vending fruit and vegetables in the Parika/Hydronie Market for over two decades. Rajwanti makes her purchases from farmers and intermediaries at Parika Back. She was introduced to farming by her now-deceased father and has remained a vendor ever since. Her vending career began at Parika Stelling about twenty years ago. She moved to the Parika/Hydronie Market about fifteen years ago. Rajwani trades on Saturdays, Sundays and Thursdays.
Selling fruits and vegetables, Rajwanti says, can be a challenge since reduced demand sometimes results in loss of earnings since the unsold fruit must either be disposed of cheaply or given away or else, dumped.