“Let’s go to the Farmers Market” is the new ad campaign created by institutions of the Agricultural, Fishing, and Rural Sector, the National Board of Farmer’s Fairs, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which aims to call on consumers to visit the Farmer’s Markets that take place every weekend in many communities.
Around 100 fairs are held nationwide, according to data from the National Board of Farmer’s Fairs (JNFA).
“The invitation we make to consumers is to go to the fairs, live the experience, and support producers who offer freshly harvested, healthy, varied, responsibly produced, and traceable products,” said Rocio Valerio, deputy minister of Liaison of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
With several messages disseminated on the social networks of the Agricultural Sector and the National Board institutions, they seek to remind consumers that the Farmers Market is a space of cultural and food diversity. In addition, buyers receive diverse, fresh, healthy, good-quality products at fair prices.
“They stimulate local food chains and connect producers and consumers directly. People need to become more aware of where their food comes from and the properties of the food they eat,” said Andrea Padilla, assistant representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Costa Rica.
Also, they offer the population the opportunity to access a wide variety of agricultural, fishery, and aquaculture products that are nutritious and safe for human consumption.
“We are the country’s largest food retail market; more than 9,000 producers participate, and about 400,000 consumers benefit weekly. The fairs provide food security, and thanks to them, the local cuisine is preserved,” said Wenceslao Bejarano, president of the National Board of Farmer’s Fairs.
At the traditional ‘feria,’ as it is known in Costa Rica, there are also food stands where visitors can enjoy a wide range of diverse and delicious meals. For instance, pupusas, chorreadas, and tortillas are often among the visitors’ favorite choices.
Going to ‘la feria’ is an excellent opportunity to get to know a part of the Costa Rican culture and support small and medium-sized producers.
