December 8, 2005
By Tshepiso Seopa
AS the commercial capital of the country, Johannesburg had "a high responsibility to provide appropriate facilities for buyers and sellers to trade".
These were the words of Executive Mayor Councillor Amos Masondo at the official opening yesterday of the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market's improved banana ripening rooms, which use fewer chemicals to ripen the fruit, fruit halls five and six, and its Cash and Carry unit.
"As [the] commercial capital of the country, with the highest disposal income, producers of different goods and wares see the City of Johannesburg as the ideal location to trade in," Masondo said.
The facilities it provided had to comply, among others, with international food safety and hygiene standards.
In his annual state of the city speech in January, Masondo had announced plans for the expansion of fruit halls five and six, at the cost of R23-million.
This year has been a prosperous one for the market, which underwent its first major upgrade since 1974. It also launched an outreach programme to more than 3 000 black farmers from various provinces.
Speaking yesterday, the mayor said, "What is of utmost importance is for us to keep up with the times and upgrade the facilities to be in line with developments that are taking place here and abroad, within the food industry.
"We are aware that in the past we have lost a bit of time, with the last upgrade done in 1974. We need to play catch-up in order to be in line with international trends and have accepted that responsibility. We believe [that with] the co-operation of various stakeholders, we will be able to modernise and refurbish our market for the benefit of all who use it."
Up to 35 000 customers visit the market each day, and its trader base extends beyond the borders of Johannesburg and Gauteng. The market plays an important role in linking farmers to different segments of the retail market.
Earlier this year the Urban Farmers Agency, operating in the market, signed a contract with the Limpopo agricultural department to run educational tours of the market for smallholders. The project is called Producers Guide to the Fresh Produce Market.
"We have on our database over 12 000 farmers, some of whom employ in excess of 5 000 people who make use of the market," the mayor said.
"This year alone we have launched an outreach programme to over 3 000 black farmers from different provinces."
He also welcomed Novasun Farm in Komatipoort, which has moved its ripening to the JFPM.
"In the month of November alone, the turnover received by the market agents and farmers improved by 37 percent. This means that the turnover increased to R215-million from R157-million for the same period last year.
"The Cash and Carry business has also increased its turnover by 300 percent since moving from its old premises to its new premises. [Also] our newly constructed banana ripening rooms have increased intake by 100 percent," Masondo said.
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