Mercabarna’s 2008 Financial and Activities Report is now available. The publication compiles the most relevant data and actions of the Food Unit’s different activity sectors.

On 28 April, Mercabarna hosted the visit, through the Mercasa National Company, of 15 chairs and managing directors of Central and Eastern European wholesale markets from countries such as Poland, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Bosnia, Croatia and Albania.

“La salut al cistell” (Good Health in the Shopping Basket) made its debut on the Catalan language channel TV3 on 3 May.

On 14 May, Mercabarna and the Zona Franca (Free Zone) Consortium signed an agreement to study and promote joint actions to benefit the companies operating on these industrial estates.

Mercabarna has collaborated with the Food Bank for more than 6 years now. On the one hand by providing this organisation with a storage area inside the precinct and, on the other, through the companies of the Food Unit that altruistically donate their surplus fresh produce.

On 30 March Mercabarna-flor’s new restaurant, called Lore (Flower in the Basque language), opened its doors to customers.

On 6 April, some 300 florists turned out at Mercabarna-flor to find out the latest trends in flower arrangements for the St George’s Day and Mother’s Day campaigns.

Josep Capdevila, manager of Cadaico, the Mercabarna business that specialises in poultry and game, and his brother Salvador Capdevila, in charge of the firm’s stall at Barcelona’s emblematic Boquería Market, have been lauded by the Catalan Gastronomy Academy in the “Professionals of the Year” category.

The current economic downturn is being seen in the prices of products sold at the Central Fish Market.

On 24 March, 15 students from the course “Fruiticulture Enterprises” taught by the Escuela de Capacitación Agraria (Agriculture School) of Alfarràs, Lleida, visited the Central Fruit and Vegetable Market, accompanied by Mercabarna’s managing director, Montserrat Gil of Bernabé, and Market director Josep Faura.