Adelaide Central Market and regional farmers’ markets remain open for business
While shoppers battle for supplies at supermarkets, fresh food markets are open and ready to serve – with precautions.
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WHILE shoppers battle for supplies at supermarkets during the coronavirus epidemic, fresh food markets are open and ready to serve – with precautions.
At the Adelaide Central Market, all stalls are open until further notice. Sanitiser stations are being installed, and extra cleaning will be taken on “touch points” such as tables, door handles and light switches. Staff are donning gloves and no longer accepting reusable cups and containers.
The market’s general manager Jodie Kannane said there had been a spike in demand for staples – meat, poultry, vegetables and milk – but stallholders had no problems with access to produce.
“Stalls are still very well stocked,” she said.
Cooking programs and demonstrations are deferred, but there will still be live music at the market on Friday nights and Saturdays.
The Central Market’s bold move to open on Sunday mornings will have more muted introduction of its first day of Sunday trading, this weekend.
Ms Kannane said the market’s “milestone” was now a service “to ensure people have the produce they need”.
The market’s House of Organics stall owner Bill Howison said there was plenty of stock available, even after a busy week.
He was looking forward to Sunday trading – but added that routines are out the window at the moment.
“The more we are open, the more we can accommodate our customers,” he said.
“If you are only going to be able to get out once a week, it’s better to come here than a supermarket!”
Mr Howison urged shoppers to support local traders as people are so anxious about employment.
Shoppers can support local traders and farmers at other markets, too. The Willunga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays, 8.30am-12,30pm and the Adelaide Farmers’ Market in Wayville showgrounds opens Sundays from 9am – 1pm. It reported a record number of visitors last Sunday.
The Barossa Farmers Market is open on Saturdays from 7.30-11.30am for local fresh food. The market has removed communal seating and stopped stallholders from offering samples.