Two-thirds of all adult Russians (66%) have shopped at farmers markets over the past month. While rural residents shopped at farmers markets 49% of the time, residents of cities frequented the markets more often (large cities 75%, megacities 66%, Moscow 72%).

On August 1, 2007, a new law on retail markets came into force requiring all marketplaces (including food markets) to have an infrastructure meeting sanitary requirements and retail trade regulations. Our poll has found that 11% of Russians noticed changes for the better at their local farmers markets, while twice as many (21%) noticed changes for the worse and about three times as many (30%) didn’t notice any changes at all.

Eighteen percent of those surveyed said that the selection of foodstuffs sold has become more diverse, but 3% have an impression that the choice has, on the contrary, become more limited. Forty percent did not notice any changes in selection.

When asked about the opportunities for local small agricultural producers to sell their produce at local marketplaces, 14% of respondents said that opportunities are better now, while 9% hold the opposite opinion and 26% think that the situation hasn’t changed either way.

Twenty-six percent of those surveyed are to some extent aware of the new law on retail markets (8% 'know about it’ and 17% ‘have heard something’). Fifteen percent of respondents approve of it and 3% do not.

Respondents familiar with this change in legislation were asked what they thought had changed or would change at their local marketplaces as a result of the new law. Answers to this question were given by 19% of respondents. Six percent said that everything has stayed and/or will stay unchanged. The rest mostly observed or predicted improvements, such as the opportunity for agricultural producers to sell their produce at marketplaces themselves rather than selling it to middlemen (2%). Another 2% have noticed enhanced quality checks already and hope that this trend will continue. Two percent feel that marketplaces are or will be kept cleaner than before. Some respondents (2%) predict a rise in prices, while others (1%) hope that the goods on offer will become less expensive. Small groups of respondents (1% each) notice that there are fewer illegal immigrants at farmers markets today, that more domestic products are sold, and finally that the number of farmers markets has actually diminished since the law was passed.

Svetlana Klimova

This question is about food marketplaces and open-air markets (farmers markets) where people can buy and sell food grown on their personal farms and gardens. Do you or your family ever buy food at these kinds of markets?

Would you say that the situation concerning food and produce marketplaces in your area has improved, become worse, or stayed the same as one month ago? (Asked of food and produce marketplace customers, 66% of the total sample.)

Has the selection of food products at farmers markets become more diverse, less diverse or is it the same as one month ago? (Asked of those who shop at farmers markets, 66% of the total sample.)

Based on your own observations, do the residents of your region now have more or less opportunities to sell their produce than one month ago, or would you say the situation has remained unchanged? (Asked of those who shop at farmers markets, 66% of the total sample.)

Since August 1, 2007 a new law on retail markets has come into effect. Do you know about this law, have you heard anything, or is this the first time you have heard about it?

Do you generally approve of the new law on retail markets? (Asked of those aware of the new law, 26% of the total sample.)

This question is about food marketplaces and open-air markets (farmers markets) where people can buy and sell food grown on their personal farms and gardens. Do you or your family ever buy food at these kids of markets?

Categories of respondents, %	100	65	23	8	47	53	36	37	27	14	35	33	18	21	28	25	8	12	17	38	25	20
yes	66	65	68	67	63	68	65	70	63	51	65	70	70	63	67	67	72	66	75	72	49	66
no	33	34	32	32	35	31	34	30	36	49	34	28	30	36	32	32	27	34	23	27	51	33
hard to answer	1	1	1	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	1	1	1

Would you say that the situation concerning food and produce marketplaces in your area has improved, become worse, or stayed the same as one month ago? (Asked of food and produce marketplace customers, 66% of the total sample.)

Categories of respondents, %	100	65	23	8	47	53	36	37	27	14	35	33	18	21	28	25	8	12	17	38	25	20
it has changed for the better	11	11	11	3	10	11	11	12	8	6	10	13	12	7	11	14	8	9	18	11	8	11
it has chagned for the worse	21	21	19	30	19	22	16	21	28	21	18	22	22	27	22	18	29	23	19	22	16	18
there haven't been any changes	30	29	31	30	28	31	33	32<;/td>	23	20	30	32	32	25	29	31	32	33	30	34	21	33
hard to answer	5	4	6	3	6	4	6	5	4	4	8	3	4	3	5	4	4	1	8	6	3	4

Has the selection of food products at farmers markets become more diverse, less diverse or is it the same as one month ago? (Asked of those who shop at farmers markets, 66% of the total sample.)

Categories of respondents, %	100	65	23	8	47	53	36	37	27	14	35	33	18	21	28	25	8	12	17	38	25	20
more diverse	18	19	16	17	17	19	18	20	17	9	17	24	18	18	18	22	16	14	22	20	15	22
same as a month ago	40	39	43	41	37	42	40	43	35	31	42	40	41	38	41	38	49	44	39	44	29	36
less diverse	3	3	4	1	3	4	3	4	3	4	2	3	6	4	3	3	5	3	6	3	2	4
hard to answer	5	4	5	8	6	3	4	3	7	7	4	3	5	4	5	3	2	4	8	5	2	4

Based on your own observations, do the residents of your region now have more or less opportunities to sell their produce than one month ago, or would you say the situation has remained unchanged? (Asked of those who shop at farmers markets, 66% of the total sample.)

Categories of respondents, %	100	65	23	8	47	53	36	37	27	14	35	33	18	21	28	25	8	12	17	38	25	20
more opportunities	14	14	15	8	12	15	15	15	10	11	13	16	13	16	10	18	9	12	18	14	13	14
the situation has remained unchanged	26	26	26	30	25	27	22	30	26	18	28	26	29	27	29	24	21	32	17	33	20	23
less opportunities	9	9	9	15	8	11	10	9	9	10	8	11	7	12	11	6	13	8	18	6	8	10
hard to answer	17	16	18	13	18	16	17	15	18	12	16	17	21	8	17	19	29	14	22	19	8	19

Since August 1, 2007 a new law on retail markets has come into effect. Do you know about this law, have you heard anything, or is this the first time you have heard about it?

Categories of respondents, %	100	65	23	8	47	53	36	37	27	14	35	33	18	21	28	25	8	12	17	38	25	20
I know about the law	8	9	6	10	9	8	7	10	8	3	6	11	12	6	5	14	18	12	11	7	4	13
I've heard something about the law	17	17	18	16	18	17	13	20	19	11	13	21	24	15	19	21	21	19	17	18	14	19
this is the first time I've heard about it	73	72	75	72	71	74	79	68	71	82	79	68	64	78	74	64	62	67	72	73	79	67
hard to answer	2	2	2	2	1	2	1	1	2	4	1	1	1	1	2	1	0	3	1	1	3	2

Do you generally approve of the new law on retail markets? (Asked of those aware of the new law, 26% of the total sample.)

Categories of respondents, %	100	65	23	8	47	53	36	37	27	14	35	33	18	21	28	25	8	12	17	38	25	20
approve	15	17	14	5	16	15	12	19	15	6	13	19	22	12	14	23	15	17	19	15	13	18
disapprove	3	3	3	9	3	3	2	4	3	3	2	4	3	3	2	5	5	6	3	3	2	5
hard to answer	7	6	7	12	8	7	6	7	9	5	5	8	11	5	8	7	18	8	5	7	4	8

POF database > Dominants. Opinion Field > Dominants 33 August 16, 2007 > Farmers Markets in Russia Today > Farmers Markets in Russia Today