“There is zero VAT on flour, rice, potato, onion and garlic, but their prices fluctuate as they are imported from overseas,” Ms Wati said.
Birendra Kumar with his mother Prakash Wati planting cassava in Namara, Labasa, on July 31, 2023. Photo: Shratika Naidu
A family living in Namara Squatter Settlement, in Labasa has started backyard gardening to supplement home needs in the face of expected increase in the cost of some food items and goods from today.
Prakash Wati said her family would be among those affected by the increase.
She said they had been trying to rebuild their home, which was damaged by Tropical Cyclone Yasa and TC Ana between December 2020 and January 2021.
The mother of five children said even though there were zero-rated VAT on 21 basic food items, not all low-income earners would benefit.
“There is zero VAT on flour, rice, potato, onion and garlic, but their prices fluctuate as they are imported from overseas,” Ms Wati said.
“Last year, at one time the price of flour and onion went up and the Government said it could not do anything as it came from overseas.”
The 56-year-old mother claims this Government wants to recover from the $10billion plus debt, but it had no control over such food items.
Her son, Birendra Kumar, is a fisherman. Yesterday, he started planting cassava.
“No matter how much the poor people like us hope for help, no one will bother because everyone will try to save money to survive,” he said.
“Everyone will be affected by the 15 per cent VAT implementation including a fisherman like me who buys materials from hardware shops and ice plant.
“This is the reason I started backyard gardening so that during rainy days we can have meals such as fish with cassava instead of rice.
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