Matthew Xuereb
New farmers' market to bypass Pitkali
A new fruit and vegetable market in October will give customers the opportunity to buy fresh produce directly from farmers, bypassing the Pitkali, blamed by different quarters of inflating prices.
The Farmers' Market is a new concept aimed at giving consumers a fair deal on fresh fruit and vegetables while netting farmers more for their produce, in which they put a lot of work and dedication.
Paul Fenech Gonzi, director of the wholesale markets section within the Resources and Rural Affairs Ministry, explained that the new market would open on Wednesdays and Saturdays when farmers could sell produce directly to consumers.
Farmers have often complained they were inadequately compensated for their produce and customers object to high prices.
As things stand now, farmers take their produce to the Pitkali, in Ta' Qali where they receive payment for their goods. That produce is then bought by hawkers at marked-up prices. The hawkers, in turn, sell the produce at a higher price to cover expenses and make a margin of profit. The Pitkali fruit and vegetable market is a government operation but it is controlled entirely by private individuals.
Mr Fenech Gonzi said the system of middlemen meant that customers were paying much more for the produce and a lot more than what the farmer got for his strenuous work.
"This Farmers' Market will create the set-up for farmers to sell their produce directly without the need of middlemen or hawkers. In this way, both customers and farmers will be getting a fair deal," he said.
It will open in the afternoon on Wednesdays and all day on Saturdays and will be situated in Ta' Qali. Mr Fenech Gonzi said that if the pilot project worked, the government was planning to expand the idea to another two venues in Malta and one in Gozo. Eventually and according to the feedback and the public's response, the market could grow from a market of agricultural products to a market for fresh fish and meat products.
Asked about the situation at the Pitkali, Mr Fenech Gonzi said his department was in the process of preparing discussion documents on an overhaul at the government fruit and vegetable market.
"The Pitkali operates on an archaic system using middlemen whose job should be to auction produce taken there by individual farmers for hawkers to buy. In theory, there should be a bidding system whereby the hawker with the highest bid takes the produce to sell to his customers. However, this system has long been discarded and the prices are fixed. Farmers receive a fixed price. Any changes we are proposing are being strongly resisted," he said.
Farmers are getting letters informing them about the new market. Applications open tomorrow and close on August 20.
There are about 1,500 registered farmers who sell their produce to the Pitkali.
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19 Comments
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Sean Grima
Jul 20th 2010, 15:55
who cares about the middlemen? i am a consumer, i am interested in quality and price.
Neil Sant
Jul 21st 2010, 10:22
Amen!
r. cutajar
Jul 20th 2010, 07:39
the farmers must have sufficient outlets at convenient locations for this scheme to work and a websight with info at that
Kevin Zammit
Jul 19th 2010, 21:37
what have the farmers to say about this?
There are hawkers who are actually farmers themselves. I think its a double edged sword an could actually narrow down competition.
Peter Cassar
Jul 20th 2010, 10:30
The hawkers who are farmers themselves would have no problem because they can continue to sell their products themselves. Their only problem is that they will have competition from other farmers and may not be able to continue selling their products at artificially inflated prices. We want competition. That's why we joined the EU.
Godfrey Camilleri
Jul 19th 2010, 17:05
Well I am all in favour of this arrangement, but I wonder whether it will work. The present arrangement had the advantage for the farmers that they could sell ALL their produce, albeit at a lower price. Will they now be better off selling direct and dumping items not sold? How can we expect thousands of people to go queuing at an out of reach place like ta' Qali to make their purchases. It's a good idea but it has logistical nightmares. I wish it to succeed but its a tough nut to crack.
Peter Cassar
Jul 20th 2010, 10:31
Mr Camilleri the farmers were told many times that their products were thrown away because no one wanted to buy them. Now we will have competition because that's why we joined the EU.
Mike Magri
Jul 19th 2010, 14:46
"New farmers' market to bypass Pitkali"
A Very Good Idea Indeed... Farmers have been `stripped` of their rightfull product prices, far Toooo Loooong now, by the Pitkali Hawkers... Besides, this could be yet another `free market` case of having the PRODUCER, (i.e. the Farmer), and the DISTRIBUTER, (i.e. the Hawker), compete by themselves for Actualy having more competitive prices suitable not only for us CONSUMERS, but for them too...
Let`s hope so...
H Galea
Jul 19th 2010, 12:14
Customers sure will welcome this open air market. hope some shade be provided to such produce otherwise these farmers will run at a loss. Can the EU provide part of funds for the stalls. How can meat/fish remain fresh in this hot weather,does this comply to EU standards on hygiene/refrigeration. How About Bus Transport, do we have to first go to Rabat or to Valletta. Is kartaAnzan valid in this area!!!!!! Another ''Malta Experience'' tourists welcome to take photos and comment.
Shirley Cauchi
Jul 19th 2010, 11:53
This is great news!! Let's hope that this also gives the encouragement to the farmers to start learning more and cultivating organic produce as well. This move will surely create a 'bond' between farmer and consumer where both will be respected equally as the farmer will take pride in selling his produce and as consumers we will be able to choose from who to buy depending on the type of produce we want!
Sarah Gatt
Jul 19th 2010, 11:22
Wonderful news, finaly will be able to buy first hand, looking forward to my first purchase.
victor pulis
Jul 19th 2010, 11:00
This scheme should go down well with customers if it works as it is proposed but what about the hawkers? How will this impact on their sales?
Tommy Cassar
Jul 19th 2010, 12:53
Mr victor pulis, the hawkers have had it far too good for far too long.
J. Debono
Jul 19th 2010, 13:21
In this day, the only way to decrease prices is to eliminate the middle man!!
To buy directly from the manufacturer is a huge step forward to ensure
1. Lower prices
2. Fresher produce,
3. Direct feedback of what people prefer (for ex. organic/non-organic farming)
Joseph Calleja
Jul 19th 2010, 15:07
@M J. r Debono
"In this day, the only way to decrease prices is to eliminate the middle man!!
To buy directly from the manufacturer is a huge step forward to ensure lower prices."
Why don't you bring this up to the government when buying MEDICINE from the middle man? The government could cut the price of most medicines in half or more.. We can do without a kabocca but we cannot do without medicine. Medicine is a matter of life or death and it's coming to a point where medicines are exorbitantly high. So why doesn't the government practice what the government preach? If the government were to cut out the middlemen when purchasing medicines, the government can save the general public a lot of money when purchasing medicines. Why can't the government figure all this out? Maybe because the pharmaceutical lobby is bigger than the Pitkali lobby. It does not take a brain surgeon to figure that one out. Again, putting the wolf in charge of the lambs is a bad idea.
victor pulis
Jul 19th 2010, 17:32
Tommy I'm not talking about the hawkers' overpricing, I am talking about their usefulness if this thing succeeds and everyone goes to buy directly from the farmers. Will they have to close down? Do you think that would be a good thing?
J Oatmon
Jul 19th 2010, 10:49
I have always wondered why fruit & veg trucks park on street corners where no parking is allowed within 5m (Gzira), or beside a pedestrian crossing in a prohibited zone (Sliema).
This is dangerous as it blocks vision an these places, and if I park my car there I get a ticket, but the fruit & veg trucks park on same street corner or beside the crossing, daily for long periods, no problem, no fine etc.
So are these fruit & veg trucks parked on corners, and in no park zones:
1. breaking the law?
2. do they have some special premission?
3. why do the police not move them out of these dangerous locations?
John Vassallo
Jul 19th 2010, 12:08
J Oatmon You are correct Mr Oatmon. A similar truck has been parking on the pavement in front of his shop at the beginning of the Zabbar-Marsascala bypass hiding the view for vehicles going out of Triq is-Silla into the bypass. Perhaps the traffic police would like to visit this gentleman? Or perhaps the wardens who have a habit of dishing out tickets for the slightest misunderstanding but turn their head the other way when they see buses double-parked in the same area in Triq Sant'Antnin?
John Vassallo
Jul 19th 2010, 10:40
Fix the road and open one in triq il-Kunsill tal-Ewropa in Zabbar. It will be a centre for the Cottonera and the southern part of Malta. Or better still fix the Olive Garden which was used as a dumping ground by the government when it made the sports complex, make passageways and places where the farmers can sell their products and place them in the garden.
What I would say to farmers is offer your products for decent prices and don't try to do like most hawkers and inflate your prices.