Returning choice to consumers, and farmers

THEnumber of farmers’ markets is expected to increase during 2004 as consumer demand for wholesome local produce continues to grow.

More than 22 of these markets have already been set up in local halls, hotels, racecourses and other locations countrywide. They allow local producers the opportunity to sell their goods directly to consumers.

And they are becoming an important source of extra income for farming families while providing the consumer with an alternative shopping experience.

Bord Bia even has a web-based guide for consumers and producers, providing current information on locations and outlining the benefits and expansion opportunities.

The guide www.bordbia.ie serves as a one-stop shop for local producers interested in setting up a farmers’ market in their own locality.

Bord Bia client services director Muiris Kennedy said farmers’ markets act as natural incubation units for the emergence of new speciality food producers, giving them direct access to consumers.

“In addition farmers’ markets add to the regional dimension of Irish food and are significantly important in our quality food image,” he said.

Celebrity chef Darina Allen said these markets are a crucially important link between farmers and food producers and are a way for at least some of them to sell their produce direct to the public.

The farmers get the full price they need, and that helps them to stay in business, while consumers who want local food can actually buy it at these markets.

“At the moment, due to the central distribution policy of the supermarkets, it is difficult to find local food in an area. But, as soon as you have a farmers’ market, people will produce for it.”

She said farmers’ markets have boosted business in the towns where they have been started. Business in the other shops have been enhanced by anything between 18% and 36% on the market day.

Everybody is a winner. There is a real craving for this kind of food, Darina Allen said. People are coming to the market in Midleton, Co Cork, from 30-40 miles away.

These markets have also built up the bonds of trust between the farming community and the consumer and provide a quick response from consumers to the produce that they buy and eat, she said.

Meanwhile, there is a growing political awareness of the need to support efforts to establish a network of local produce markets in view of their potential for rural development.

Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh told Waterford Labour TD Brian O’Shea in a recent reply to a Dáil query that he fully recognises the potential of farmers’ markets for small food producers and rural communities in general.

He said local markets give producers an opportunity to sell directly to local consumers and to test-market varieties of product.

Bord Bia’s guide identifies the benefits of markets to producers, consumers and local economies, lists the location of markets and trading days, offers clear advice on what makes a successful market and outlines the benefits and expansion opportunities.

Mr Walsh said that he welcomed the variety and potential these markets offer to a number of producers, taking account of the decoupling of premia payments from production in 2005.

But Green Party leader, Trevor Sargent, wants the Government to go further and revise the 1995 Casual Trading Act to open up the growth of farmers’ markets across the country.

“If the Government is not prepared to revise the Casual Trading Act to spur the growth of farmers’ markets then the Green Party will introduce its own Private Members legislation to do so,” he said.

Mr Sargent said that according to an 1880 survey there were 264 towns with market rights in Ireland.

The Green Party want these market rights restored to ensure that all small to medium-sized producers and farmers are given every opportunity to boost their incomes through easy access to farmers’ markets.

Mr Sargent said a recent IBEC-RGDATA-commissioned report on food prices confirmed that farm gate prices are not contributing to food price inflation and costs beyond the farm are responsible for higher prices consumers have to pay.

“The absence of farmers’ markets has resulted in farmers losing out to the crushing competition between the large multiple supermarkets.

“This trend has seen the percentage of the retail price paid to farmers fall from 50% in 1950 to 11% in some cases today.”

Mr Sargent said the benefits of farmers’ markets have been seen in England, France, Italy and Germany.

“Given that the Irish Government often takes a lead from US government policy, it is hoped that the 2,500 farmers’ markets in the US and the US Farmer to Consumer Direct Marketing Act can inspire a more positive Government policy toward farmers’ markets,” he said.