FARMERS' MARKET-EVOLVING CONSUMER-GROWER KINSHIP?

Can any one in India dream of buying their food requirements directly from the farmers? The answer could be "no" or at best "may be"! Look at the opportunities that exist in the most developed country in the world, for the consumer to access food directly from the grower through thousands of so called Farmers' Markets that function across the continent and one must considered the American citizens most blessed on the earth. This phenomenon, mostly consumer driven is giving a sliver of a hope that this country on the verge of a catastrophe due to wide spread prevalence of obesity, may yet make a break-through in restoring good dietary habits in the country. All the more remarkable is the fact that such "game changing" developments are taking place in spite of the distorted government policies which lean heavily on big farmers, ignoring the small ones, through unsustainable economic interventions. Here is a take on the subject.

"Ten years ago, farmers markets in Michigan were few and far between, with only 90 existing in the state. Today, the state boasts more than 250 farmers markets, and a recently-released report finds these markets are more than just a place to shop for local produce. Farmers markets also can boost the economy and provide jobs. While farmers markets are growing in numbers nationally, they could be doing a lot better, according to a report released Thursday by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). What's holding farmers markets back? Federal policies that favor industrial agriculture at their expense, the report stated. "On the whole, farmers markets have seen exceptional growth, providing local communities with fresh food direct from the farm," stated Jeffrey O'Hara, the author of the report and an economist with UCS's Food and Environment Program. "But our federal food policies are working against them. If the U.S. government diverted just a small amount of the ... subsidies it (gives to) industrial agriculture to support these markets and small local farmers, it would not only improve American diets, it would generate tens of thousands of new jobs." UCS released the report just a few days before the 12th annual U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Farmers Market Week, which starts Sunday. According to the report, "Market Forces: Creating Jobs through Public Investment in Local and Regional Food Systems," the number of farmers markets nationwide more than doubled between 2000 and 2010, jumping from 2,863 to 6,132, and now more than 100,000 farms sell food directly to local consumers".

There are many countries in the world where advanced distribution logistics do not exist which force the farmers to sell their produce through local temporary markets in open grounds on a periodic schedule where buyers assemble for making their weekly purchases. Advent of modern technology to create distribution and storage infrastructure has enabled farmers in many developed countries to access distant markets giving them higher returns on their crops. In spite of these developments, the fine example that is seen in the US in the area of local markets where farmers can sell their "fruits of labor" directly to the consumer without any middle man gobbling up significant share of the sale proceeds, is worth emulating and such markets can be a win-win situation for the seller as well as the buyer.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FARMERS' MARKET VS VENDORS" MARKET-A POLICY DILEMMA

One of the most visible changes taking place in some of the wealthy countries is the phenomenal growth of farmers' markets which are supposed to offer fresh produce directly from the farmers to the consumers in the neighborhood communities. The major factor for the large scale patronage of these markets by the consumers is the progressively ebbing confidence on the ability of organized retailing sector to provide products in fresh condition with assured quality and safety as expected by the consumers. Not that all farmers' markets are able to satisfy the consumer but majority of them are well organized and deliver products to the full satisfaction of the buyers. Generally the number of farmers' markets in an urban community is limited forcing many to travel quite some distance to reach them but with transportation never a constraint for citizens in wealthy countries, those who are particular to buy really fresh produce do nor mind this minor inconvenience. Many farmers' markets are organized in places and facilities provided by the civic authorities and sanitary conditions are overseen by them. Having convinced about the relevance of farmers' markets, there is a clamor for setting up more such centers in cities that will spare the customers the need to travel through busy city streets. Here is a view point from a citizen in Canada regarding the importance of farmers' market to the urban community.

"First off, the Calgary Farmers' Market is not a true farmers' market. Only about half of the vendors are farmers. It is as much a food court and craft market as a true farmers' market. I also don't buy the argument that the city should be supporting a farmers' market because it connects consumers with producers and will lead to a stronger sustainable food policy. It's a nice, altruistic idea, but I don't think the city should be in the behaviour modification business. As Jeremy Klaszus recently pointed out in the Calgary Herald, other cities subsidize their major markets. But in Calgary's case, if we were to do that, we would have to subsidize not only the Calgary Farmers' Market, but also the Crossroads Market and Kingsland Market because they have a similar business model. I recall one letter to the editor in the Herald asking about why there's all the media fuss over the Calgary Farmers' Market, as it's not the city's only farmer's market — good point. Rather than imitate what other cities are currently doing or looking to the past, I say let's look to the future and develop a new Calgary model for farmers' markets. I propose that instead of a major downtown market that requires Calgarians to drive across town to get to it, we develop more modest, year-round farmer/food producer-only markets in each quadrant of the city (all three current major farmer's markets are currently in the south)".

Whether one calls it farmers' market or by any other name the concept is very sound and world over such markets must come up to link the grower to the consumer. Of course there will be stiff resistance from whole sale distributors and large retailing giants as their business may be affected to some extent. In a country like India there are scattered road side vending practice in almost all cities while some rudimentary facilities are built in some towns and cities for selling fresh produce. Unfortunately those who sell the produce are not real farmers but vendors who get their materials from the government controlled marketing yards. What is required is a genuine farmers' market where individual farmers are allowed to bring their produce directly to the customers. Archaic laws which come in the way of implementing such progressive new ideas must be scrapped. Farmers' markets, functionally designed with all necessary facilities must be built in almost all townships in the country for the benefit of both farmers as well as the citizens of the country.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FARMERS' MARKET-ARE THE PRODUCE REALLY LOCAL?

Economic fraud is as old as human civilization and only a very few can avoid the temptation for cheating to make a fast buck as long history of mankind has repeatedly demonstrated. If quality is compromised by the manufacturing industry time and again, it is only to safeguard or increase the margins of profit. There is no country on this blessed earth which is an exception to this ground reality. All checks and measures put in place from time to time can only check such practices but cannot eradicate the same. It is the general perception that such economic fraud is more deep rooted in developing countries compared to that, noticed in rich countries. Inadequate enforcement personnel, underdeveloped infrastructure for quality checking and wide scale corruption seem to be the major reasons for economic frauds that take place in many poor countries of the world. Look at a rich country like the US where consumers are defrauded in spite of the stringent enforcement system that seems to be unable to restrain fraudsters perpetuating their designs with impunity.

"In a way, California certified farmers markets are a victim of their own success, since their numbers have roughly doubled over the last decade, to more than 700, while the numbers of authentic farmers to meet this demand — and of agricultural inspectors to enforce market regulations — have not increased proportionally. Farmers market customers are willing to pay top dollar for produce they believe to be local, fresh, organic or not sprayed with pesticides. Industrially grown produce, raised with industrial efficiencies of scale, is comparatively cheap, tempting vendors to buy from neighbors, packinghouses and wholesale sources on the sly. This violates state farmers market rules, but allows them to obtain a profitable, more consistent supply. County and state inspectors (along with managers) are responsible for enforcing market rules against cheating, but they have limited personnel and resources. Some county agricultural authorities view peddling as a victimless violation and rarely fine or suspend from markets local farmers, with whom they may be friendly. But cheating is not a victimless violation. Customers are defrauded, duped into paying high prices for commercial-grade produce. Honest growers often can't compete with cheaters and withdraw from markets. The core attraction of farmers markets — real farmers selling directly to consumers — is in danger of slipping away. To retain public confidence, farmers and managers have proposed many ideas, including these, as the first, most urgent steps to address this concern"

How can one arrest this trend of crass greediness is a worrisome factor that concerns many countries. The above instance of passing on mass produced and industrially processed perishables as locally grown food is well proved but legally it will be difficult to take action due to practical reasons. Such instances are bound to increase in the coming years because of the current obsession for organic foods and locavore movement taking roots in many communities due to fear of unsafe foods from mass produced and centralized manufacturing facilities. Is punishment a severe deterrent against consumer frauds? Obviously the answer seems to be a resounding no if what has been happening in China is any indication. The Melamine adulteration of milk affecting the health of thousands of innocent children adversely, which captured world-wide attention last year, should not have happened considering the harsh retribution system prevalent there under the authoritarian regime that controls the destiny of that country. Even after executing a couple of executives for the crime in response to the scandal, manufacture of sub-quality and adulterated food continues unabated, the most recent incidence being antibiotic tainted honey.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

LOCAVORE "FLAVOR" FOR BIG RETAILERS-JOINING THE "BANDWAGON"!

It looks as if the new found popularity of local food movement is pinching the fortunes of organized retailers, if recent reports regarding attempts by a few of them to start some thing like a farmers' market within their premises to attract more customers or to recapture some of their lost clientèle. Foods offered at the farmers' markets are supposed to be with low carbon foot prints because they come from nearby farms where cultivation is managed with minimum use of energy, fertilizers and pesticides. How supermarkets depending on large scale production systems and economy of scale can co-exist with the small scale operations that characterizes farmers' markets is some thing one has to wait and see. If it is based on philanthropy with an intention to give protection to the local growers, such practices need to be encouraged. But the economics and logistics do not favor such an interpretation of the move by large retailers to open up local food section in their premises. If it is a part of a slow process of integrating local producers into the location specific retail stores, one can only appreciate such changes.

"It's not hard to see why supermarkets are nervously intrigued by farmer's markets. In the past five years, the number of markets in the US has ballooned, up from 1,755 in 1994 to 5,274 in 2009, according to the USDA. But the problem for Big Food is that farmers' markets exist as an alternative to the centralized, mass-produced, industrialized system that delivers most of our food. The items at farmer's markets come from small farms or bakeries located within 100 miles from where they live. They're also ultra-fresh, seasonal and mostly unprocessed, and the direct-to-consumer system lets farmers earn a healthy profit for their food. Supermarkets, in contrast, sell food from all over the globe and pay the sorts of prices only large producers can afford to accept. Mike Siemienas, a spokesperson for Supervalu (SVU), which owns Albertsons, defended the use of farmers' markets signs in 200 of its stores in Washington, Oregon and Idaho over the Labor Day weekend because the produce advertised came from local farms. It's certainly a better approach than Safeway's interpretation of a farmer's market, but the price those local farms are getting for their produce is probably much less than what they'd get at an actual farmers' market. By comparison, organic, which is also a reaction to mainstream food production, has been a much easier trend for big food companies to monopolize. Large manufacturers like Kellogg (K) and General Mills (GIS) operate major organic brands and many large, conventional fruit and vegetable producers have organic side businesses. Local may actually be the sort of party food companies can't get into, at least not without looking like they're trying way too hard.Frito-Lay (PEP) and McDonald's (MCD) have already mounted ridiculous attempts to establish local cred. Frito-Lay wheeled a traveling greenhouse into the middle of Times Square and brought along potato farmers to explain how Lay's potato chips are made with actual potatoes. In July, McDonald's put up billboards in Washington state announcing things like "Served in Seattle, Grown in Pasco," accompanied by the disclaimer "participation and duration may vary."

The issue of returns to the farmers who join league with super market chains is still a ticklish issue because of the compulsion to share the sale proceeds between the established retailer and the local producer. In contrast in a genuine farmers' market there is no middle man to gobble up a part of the sale proceeds resulting in a higher net return to the grower. It is not clear as to what other services the retailer is offering to the growers besides the premises and the brand value. Ideally the super markets must lend their expertise to the local grower community in producing high quality products and train them in proper handling and packing before channeling them through their store facilities. Only such a symbiotic relationship can promote locavore movement to any significant extent without affecting the fortunes of existing super markets. Under no circumstances large players should be allowed to misuse the "goodwill" generated by the "local food" concept for increasing their cash flow.

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com