Silistra market turns spring-bright ahead of Easter, but trade is subdued

Ahead of Easter, the municipal market in Silistra is awash with spring colour — but quieter than usual.

Stalls are laden with fresh radishes, lettuce, spring onions, seedlings and flowers. There are customers too, though many appear to browse and compare rather than buy. On weekdays, the market doubles as a meeting place, especially for older residents, who gather to discuss not only prices but their day-to-day lives.

Producers say prices have risen sharply this year — in some cases several times higher than last spring. The reasons are familiar: seeds, fertilisers and fuel have all become more expensive. “Costs that used to be around 6 leva have now reached 6 euros,” trader Nikolinka Turlakova said.

Vendors insist their prices reflect supply costs and that selling at a loss is not an option. Even so, some goods — including cucumbers, lettuce, radishes and onions — can still be found for under one euro, often making market stalls more competitive than large retail chains, where prices tend to be more standardised despite promotions.

Some shoppers, however, prefer supermarkets, citing a greater sense of security when paying in euros, a check by Bulgarian National Radio correspondent Nezabravka Kirova found. On the eve of the holiday, the market remains vibrant in colour but subdued in mood, passers-by say. Caught between tradition and limited means, shoppers are weighing what — and how much — they can afford to put on the festive table. Producers and traders, for their part, are hoping Easter will bring more customers than losses.

Editing by Gergana Mancheva; additional editing by Elena Karkalanova