Mercados de Agricultores en España: diagnóstico y propuesta de actuación

Farmers' Markets are an effective marketing strategy to deal with the disappearance of family farming, to meet consumer demand for fresh and local food, and to revitalize the local economy. However, these markets are in crisis in Spain because farmers tend to be replaced by resellers who have acquired all or part of what they sell from a wholesaler. The objective of this research is twofold: to understand the factors that favour the strengthening of farmers’ markets and, on the basis of these, to make a proposal for how they could be created or promoted.The methodology consisted in analyzing 8 markets in different Spanish regions.The results indicate that two future scenarios exist: the disappearance of these markets, or their substitution for 'mercadillos' (street markets with resellers). A proposal is made how farmers’ markets could be created or strengthened: producers must reach a consensus on the internal rules of operation, local authorities should raise their awareness about family farms, a Manager must lead the market, and the Market Commission has to involve all the actors participating in its operation.