The best time to go to any market in Jamaica, whether it’s Coronation, May Pen, or your local town square, really depends on two things: you and your pocket.
In any Jamaican market, there is no set time to start selling. For me, the day starts at 4:00 AM. I wake up and get my chores moving, like putting a load of clothes in the washer. By 5:00 AM, whether the laundry is finished or not, I’m in the shower. By 5:30 AM, I am heading out.
The 5:30 AM Experience: Peace at a Price
At that hour, it’s still dark. Even though there are electricity lights in the market, there aren't enough of them, and many areas stay poorly lit. I usually have to use my phone light to see the produce, and you’ll see other shoppers using flashlights to pick through the stalls.
Seeing is Believing: The 5:00 AM Struggle
In this short clip I filmed during my last run, you can see exactly what I mean by “pitch black.” At, I'm navigating the stalls where you can barely see the hands in front of you without a light. This is the reality of catching the “working class” prices before the sun and the crowds take over the market.
But there is a major benefit to the early morning:
No Crowds: You can walk freely without fighting a squeeze.
No Handcart Pushers: You don't have to watch your back for mannersless handcart pushers who act like they want to run over your feet.
The Atmosphere: Most people shopping at this hour are the working class. It’s quiet, and you won’t find the usual vulgarity you might hear later in the day.
However, you pay for that peace. Prices are a bit higher in the early morning. For example, a pound of cabbage might sell for $200 JMD. It might not seem like much of a difference to some, but if you are watching every dollar, you might complain.
Midday: The Boiling Sun and the Crowd
By midday, the market changes completely. The sun is boiling, and the crowds are thick. This is when the price starts to drop. That same cabbage that was $200 in the dark is now selling for $150 or $120 JMD. You save money, but you pay for it with the heat and the hustle.
The Evening: "Feel Up and Left"
If you wait until the evening, the market gets even cheaper. You might find that cabbage for $100 JMD per pound. But at this stage, the items are sunburned, bruised, and battered. In Jamaica, we call those items "feel up and left." They’ve been handled all day and left behind by everyone else.
Which hour is for you?
At the end of the day, market hours depend on you. Do you want the best quality and a peaceful walk in the dark? Or do you want to save your dollars and brave the heat and the "feel up and left" piles?
For me, I’ll take my phone light and my 5:30 AM peace any day.
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