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| 11 November 2007 | |
Customers at some ultra-trendy markets in the capital are being duped by mass-produced stock passed off as organic or home-grown produce, according to a leading growers' organisation.
The French-style farmers' markets, which have exploded all over the country, are billed as a foodie heaven full of organic, free-range and home-grown produce. But experts of RTE's flagship farming show, Ear to the Ground, believe health-conscious consumers can often be fooled by traders misleadingly selling mass-produced foodstuffs.
The programme says dubious sellers are taking advantage of the lack of rules and regulations concerning farmers' markets in Ireland and the perception that all goods in the stalls are home-grown.
Caroline Robinson from the Food Market Traders' Association said consumers are most likely to be ripped off at some farmers' markets in Dublin. She said: "In Dublin there are less farmers and you get a lot of traders who are buying produce from abroad and selling it on. I think the consumers are being ripped off. If you go to one of the big markets in Dublin, generally you won't find a farmer and there will only be a few people there who produce themselves."
She said customers need to educate themselves about the times of the year when different crops are in season.
She said: "Some of the Dublin markets are all traders so the likelihood is the goods are not home-produced.
"Genuine food producers are being squeezed out because the rents are too high in a lot of the Dublin markets.
"There needs to be strict labelling so customers know exactly what they are buying.
"Customers also need to know when foods are in season and if they are being sold out of season then they are not locally produced."
According to RTE's Ear to the Ground, French markets are strictly controlled and limited to producers or farmers but there are few regulations in place in Ireland.
In France all producers must be registered with The French Ministry of Agriculture.The programme reveals there is no clear definition of a farmers' market in Ireland and an extremely low number of inspections. Spokesperson for The Consumers Association of Ireland, Dermot Jewell, said he is very concerned that consumers may be duped by unscrupulous sellers. He said: "There are farmers' markets out there selling produce that is either mislabelled or certainly misleadingly labelled."
Trevor Sargent TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, with responsibility for Food and Horticulture, admits there are major issues over how some of the markets are being run.
He said: "I would be the first to acknowledge that there are inconsistencies with the way farmers' markets around the country are being organised at the moment."
'Ear to the Ground' is on Thursday, November 22 at 7pm on RTE1
- Lynn Kelleher
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