At the Nausori Municipal Market, leftover blooms that once went to waste are now the basis of a growing small business, according to florist Josivini Vasiti Railoa. The 38-year-old vendor, who began selling cut flowers at the old Nausori Market, says rules introduced at the new market forced her to rethink how she uses unsold stock — and turned that constraint into an opportunity.
Railoa, originally from Lawaki Village in Nakasaleka, Kadavu, with maternal links to Nukutubu Village in Rewa and now married into Tobuniqio Village in Vugalei, Tailevu, said she first sold loose flowers that customers took away to make their own arrangements. Her interest in floristry grew after helping a friend fulfil arrangement orders for Valentine’s Day and deciding she wanted to learn the craft herself. “I told myself that I want to do it too,” she said.
When the new Nausori market was built, stricter rules around flower waste changed how vendors handled unsold stock. “I always felt sad when I saw leftover flowers that were still in good condition being thrown in the bin,” Railoa said. The new regulations, she added, pushed her to start repurposing those flowers into finished arrangements rather than selling only loose stems — a shift that helped her expand her offering and client base.
Without formal training, Railoa learned by watching other florists, asking questions and practicing persistently, with support from her husband. Her arrangements are now in demand for funerals, church services and community events, and the returns have followed. She reports making between $150 and $200 on a good day, with takings rising to as much as $400 on Saturdays, the market’s busiest trading day.
Beyond cut bouquets, Railoa sells pot plants grown from her own garden, a practice she said continues a legacy passed down from her mother-in-law. “My mother-in-law used to plant flowers; now I’ve continued her love for gardening at home,” she said, noting that home-grown plants add variety to her stall and offer customers longer-lasting options.
Railoa acknowledged competition among market florists but said it has not deterred her. “There are always challenges and competition, but we learn to overcome them as we go,” she said, describing floristry as both a livelihood and a source of personal fulfilment. For her, arranging flowers is more than commerce: it is resourcefulness brought to life and a craft that makes her happy.
Her story highlights how small traders at Nausori Municipal Market are adapting to new operating rules while creating value from what might once have been discarded. Railoa’s experience demonstrates a practical response to market regulation that has translated into new skills, steady income and preserved floral material that would otherwise have been wasted.
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