PH Delegation in Barcelona Visits Mercabarna to Learn Best Practices in Market Governance and Operations 

BARCELONA, 11 May 2023 – A delegation from the Philippines composed of officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), with the Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona, visited Mercabarna, one of the largest wholesale markets in Europe, to learn about the market's governance and operations on 28 April 2023. The group sought to identify best practices that could be implemented in the Philippines to improve their own market systems.

During their visit, the Philippine delegation observed the market's operations, including the transportation and logistics network, product sorting and storage, quality control, and the price recording practices. They also learned about the market's governance structure, which is a public-private partnership managed by a board of directors consisting of representatives from the City Council, the market's traders, and the workforce.

The visit was a valuable learning experience for the delegation, who identified several best practices that could be implemented in the Philippines. These include an efficient logistics and transportation network, public-private partnerships, price recording and transparency, and the inclusion of traders in decision-making processes.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to visit Mercabarna and learn about their operations and governance structure," said Philippine Consul General to Barcelona Maria Theresa S.M. Lazaro. "We are always learning about best practices in Catalonia, which is one of Europe’s food baskets. In this case, we hope that what our officials from DA and BFAR saw today could be applied in our own markets, all with the goal to improve efficiency and better serve the Filipino market."

The visit to Mercabarna is part of the Philippine government's efforts to improve the country's overall food, market and agricultural systems and promote economic growth. 

For more information, please contact the Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona. END

Philippine delegation visits Mercabarna, one of Europe’s largest wholesale markets. (Barcelona PCG photo)

Consul General Maria Theresa S.M. Lazaro listens in on Mercabarna’s Director for Marketing and Institutional Relations Ingrid Buerna discuss the market’s processes. (Barcelona PCG photo)

For more information, visit https://barcelonapcg.dfa.gov.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBarcelona/.