Selling vegetables now provides steadier income for a single mother
Between 5:30 and 6:00 am, Lanukala begins arranging crates of vegetables outside her new shop in Tongdentsüyong Ward, Mokokchung and keeps it open till 8 pm – a routine she has followed for years, first at the MMC Watsü market and now in her own space. The 29-year-old, who spent nearly a decade selling farm produce at a market that sits only twice a week, shifted to a shop earlier this month. She said she now sources the farm products through middlemen.
Separated from her husband early on, she is co-parenting their child, who is now in Class 4. Her elder sister assists her at the shop.
The vegetables are sourced from Longkong village, Mongsenyimti, Chuchu, Longkhum, a few villages in Tuensang district, and Salulemang. Her daily sales range between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000, and according to her, the income has doubled compared to when she was selling only during the two market days at MMC Watsü, where competition among vegetable sellers was high.
As for why she chose to sell vegetables, she said it is something “we keep eating and will continue to eat,” and that it is bought in cash. “Even when I was starting out, it had its sale, so I opted for it,” she added.
She shared that the decision to keep working came from not wanting to depend on her parents, who were on pension and also because of her determination to raise her child. “We have to work hard no matter how small the work is,” she said.
For Lanukala, opening her own shop is more than a change in location – it is the result of years of long hours, limited options and steady persistence. She also said that while they continue to co-parent, she is hopeful that she may eventually get back together with her husband.
Her story mirrors the unseen labour of many women who continue to sustain Mokokchung’s local economy through small, consistent work rather than opportunity.
