Over the past couple of years, farmers’ markets have taken root in Taiwan’s metropolises. There is the Breeze Market (微風市集, blog.breezemarket.com.tw) in Kaohsiung County, and the Hope Market (合樸農學市集, www.hopemarket.com.tw) and NCHU Organic Farmers’ Market (興大有機農夫市集, organic.nchu.edu.tw) in Taichung City.
The markets are not only sites of trade but venues that serve as public forums frequented by social activists, environmental groups and concerned citizens, Yang said.
The answer to the social and economic problems facing farmers who have seen their livelihoods threatened from increased competition and rising costs is to cut dependency on wholesale dealers by finding who and where the consumers are, Yang said. Farmers’ markets do that and allow producers to maintain a stable and direct outlet for their crops.
As for now, the 248 Market has found an additional venue at Taipei Kaiping Culinary School (台北市開平餐飲學校), and opens on Sundays. Like the Pacific Construction Co (太平洋建設), which doesn’t seek rental for the parking lot, the school lets Yang and his fellow farmers use its sports field for free.
Yang is confident of finding more space for expansion. “You have to have a capitalist’s mind and a socialist’s heart,” the 31-year-old said.
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