Shoppers are flocking to farmers' markets, cutting out the middle-man, writes Alison Healy
They are sprouting up everywhere, offering everything from exotic olives to organic potatoes. Farmers' markets are enjoying a renaissance and that's because customers know a good deal when they see one, according to the Consumers' Association of Ireland. "Traceability is a huge issue for consumers. So is organic food and GMO-free produce," says Dermott Jewell, the association's chief executive. "But price is also an issue, cutting out the middle-man." He refers to the recent Fine Gael survey which found that a basket of fresh foods cost €22.97 but earned the farmer just €8.77.
The explosion in food-related cookery programmes is also driving people to seek fresh ingredients and experiment in the kitchen, he says.
Chef and cookery writer Darina Allen says people are becoming more interested in food miles - how far the food travels from the farmer to the table. She says most supermarket chains have central distribution policies so food is being transported to that centre and then back again around the country.
"People are pouring into farmers' markets around the country because it just makes sense," she says.
Caroline Robinson believes that things can only get busier for the markets if high standards are maintained. She is chairwoman of the Irish Food Market Traders' Association (IFMTA), an organisation that recently fought to retain market rights that were under threat. Her organisation set up a website (www.irelandmarkets.com), listing all the food markets they knew of about two years ago. That now numbers about 120 producer markets, before the dozens of country markets are taken into account. The country markets are a national co-operative and are usually held weekly in local halls and community centres.
Robinson welcomes the growing popularity of the markets but is concerned at some of the prices being charged to stall holders by private operators. "I would be wary of the markets that charge too much per stall, particularly in cities. Everyone starts out as a small producer with a minuscule amount of produce," she says.
Some private operators charge about €60 per day for a stall but fledgling producers might not even earn this much in a day. The space then becomes overrun with commercial traders which is in the interests of no one, Ms Robinson says.
She also urges customers to ask more questions about produce and to seek certification if something is being sold as organic.
"Some traders might sell something as home-made when it's not. But some of it is ignorance on behalf of customers. Some might not even recognise if something is not home-made. Or if a stall is selling leeks at this time of year then you know they are imported because no leeks are grown at this time of year.
"Just walk away from the stall if they are not telling the truth," she says. "People must know what they are buying."
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