Farmers’ Markets Support Local Food Producers

PRESS RELEASE
8 JULY 2010
Farmers’ Markets Support Local Food Producers

The key to the ongoing success of Farmers’ Markets in New Zealand is that they support the food producers in their respective regions.

A number of Farmers’ Markets around the country were set up by disenchanted growers, many of whom had, until then, relied entirely on the wholesale system as an outlet for their produce. Having access to a local Farmers’ Market has allowed many growers to become price makers and not price takers. For many, this has meant the difference between a viable business and no business at all.

There are now over fifty Farmers’ Markets trading weekly throughout the country, from the Bay of Islands in the north to Invercargill in the south. In New Zealand, an authentic Farmers’ Market is a market where growers and food producers, from a defined local region, sell their products direct to the public. This keeps the food chain short and the food fresh as there are no ‘middlemen’.

Farmers Markets New Zealand, Inc. is a national body set up in 2006 to foster the development of Farmers’ Markets around the country with a stated aim of spreading a passion for fresh, local, authentic food.
The growing popularity of Farmers’ Markets in New Zealand is testament to this philosophy and is proof that it is a sustainable business option for many growers and producers to sell direct to the consumer. The increasing public awareness of the origin of the food it consumes, combined with climate change concerns, respect for local resources and regard for sustainable agriculture are just a few of the reasons why Farmers’ Markets are flourishing in New Zealand and around the world.

It is not surprising that the influential chefs of the country are proud to use fresh, locally-sourced and produced ingredients wherever possible. Farmers' Markets offer an all-round authentic food experience - seasonal selection of the freshest foods and excellent value for money.

Taking a look at the faces of the customers at local Farmers’ Markets and comparing them to those in a typical supermarket - it is obvious who is having the most fun…!

ends