31 March 2008
Mr Trevor Sargent T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, performed the official opening of the Sonairte Farmers’ Market in Laytown, Co. Meath.
Speaking at the opening event Minister Sargent highlighted the important role farmers’ markets can play within communities saying “experience to date of farmers’ markets suggests that they can provide wide-ranging and long-term benefits, both locally and regionally, which can be measured socially, environmentally and economically”.
The Minister pointed out that well organised markets of a consistently high quality can become a very valuable tourist attraction, bringing more foot flow into towns to the benefit of all retailers and that “recent research has shown that €10 spent at a farmers’ market will result in a net income of €24 for the community. It has also been estimated that trade for other businesses increases, by up to 30% when a market is run in a town”.
