SUSTAINABILITY FOR MARKETS 2/2

ON THE MARKET FLOOR
By Michael Cordes
SUSTAINABILITY FOR MARKETS
Last week we spoke about sustainability on a global scale and I now want to shift the focus to our fresh produce markets. Are they sustainable in their present form? Can they also contribute to sustainability as depicted by Mark du Plessis last week?

Remember the Triple Bottom Line from last week – environmental, social and financial?

Let’s consider how markets stack up against those three:

Environmental Sustainability.

This will include a wide range of issues such as buildings, land usage, waste disposal, power usage, food safety, human resources and more. How many markets can claim to have addressed at least some of those issues and actually done something about them, apart from talk.

I can think of market sales halls that ‘cook’ during summer and ‘freeze’ during winter. How can fresh produce be kept under those conditions? When the current crop of markets was built environmental issues were virtually unknown. Now they impact directly on the sustainability of markets – financially and otherwise.

Joburg has HACCP approved Ripening Chambers; they recently re-laid the floors in the Sales Halls to food safety standards (or so I understand) and they were looking at a Dry Gas Facility to use up waste material from the market.

I know Tshwane Market have an active Environmental Policy which includes care of surrounding open land areas.

What about the other markets? Their silence is deafening.

Social Sustainability.

How are the employment practices of both markets and market agents? Are they addressing needs like gender equality, training, empowerment of previously disadvantaged persons, BEE requirements and other important social requirements. Are they doing these things because the law says so or because they truly believe this is the way forward – the sustainable way. Are markets and market agents addressing social issues outside the markets? Some are, most not. Successful business needs a sound social infrastructure around it.

The Institute of Market Agents has a comprehensive training programme which has been running for over 10 years. I’m not aware of anything similar from the markets.

Financial Sustainability

Some markets make a good profit, others struggle along and others are heading down the tubes. The problem with Municipal markets is that ownership rests with the City Councils who usually can’t resist ‘swiping’ any surplus monies the markets make. The way things are going there will be no financial sustainability for those markets in a few years! Much needed upgrading of facilities and improved service levels will contribute to improved financial performance. It’s simple. They need to get their political bosses to see the light – a k a Mission Impossible!

Market Agents are reputed to make good money – some do, some don’t. It’s not only about turnover and efficiencies. It’s also about relationships and trust with both producers and buyers. Trust relationships can be measured in money terms not just loyalty, friendship and a few beers together.

The bottom line? Nurture those relationships because they can be financially sustainable.