“The market is a very vibrant, exciting business, ensuring that people have fresh fruit and vegetables every day,” Charles Park, acting CEO of the Joburg Market, told delegates.
READ Focus on global food security at major conference hosted by Joburg Market
He noted that the market was one of the largest on the continent, and the largest in South Africa.
Park shared impressive statistics about the market:
- The market is 64ha in size.
- Around 1,4 million tons of produce is traded per annum.
- The market has an annual turnover of about R11,3 billion.
- Over 8 000 farmers consign fresh produce to this market.
- Over 24 000 buyers purchase fresh produce from the market per annum.
The market offers an open market system where the willing-buyer willing-seller principle prevails. This means that both parties negotiate prices to establish a price that reflects supply and demand at that particular moment.
Jaco Oosthuizen, CEO of RSA Group, told Farmer’s Weekly that this system served as incentive for farmers to grow crops since it ensured there would be offtake of their products.
“Countries that don’t have this kind of market system leave farmers in the dark as whether what they produce will find a market. In South Africa, farmers have multiple options for marketing.”
