26 November saw the Training Area begin an occupational training course for would-be fishmongers. The course is aimed at the unemployed, but is also open to active staff keen to learn more about fish handling techniques.

Showing the steps bananas follow from cultivation through to marketing was the goal that led Bargosa, a fruit and vegetable company present at Mercabarna and which specializes in bananas, to invite wholesalers and representatives of major distributors from around Spain to visit the banana farms it runs on La Palma (Canary Islands).

On 19 October, Unió Esportiva Santboiana, the Sant Boi de Llobregat rugby team, introduced the club teams that will play the 2008-2009 season at a party held at the Baldiri Aleu Stadium.

On 28 October, Mercabarna-flor received a visit from José María Sanchidrián, assistant manager of marketing channels and international relations at the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade and board member of Mercasa.

On 19 October, the Mercabarna Central Fish Market celebrated its 25th anniversary with a large party organized by Mercabarna and the Barcelona and Province Fresh and Frozen Fish and Shellfish Wholesale Consignees’ Guild (GMP) for around 1,500 people.

Barcelona became the nerve centre of the fish sector on 29 and 30 October. The Catalan capital hosted the 1st Congress of Fish Market Wholesalers, where wholesalers and other parties involved in the fish production and marketing chain analysed the sector and proposed measures to tackle future challenges.

Professionals from the flower and plant sector have a new meeting place in Mercabarna-flor, a singular building located in Sant Boi de Llobregat. It is also well-connected and offers a wide variety of products and services for professionals. This is Mercabarna’s major bid for invigorating and leading the flower sector in Catalonia.

Roughly 100 wholesale and retail market representatives from 30 different countries gathered in the Danish capital of Copenhagen in early October for the 26th Congress of the World Union of Wholesale Markers (WUWM).

Over the next five years, Mercabarna will be “redesigned” to consolidate its position as the leading Mediterranean food cluster and one of the top fresh-produce suppliers to all of Europe. The plan was announced by Barcelona mayor Jordi Hereu on 14 October, during his visit and subsequent press conference at Mercabarna.

On 18 September, Mercabarna hosted the visit of several Spain-wide consumer associations, including the National Civic Union Federation of Consumers and Housewives of Spain (UNAE), the Federation of Independent Users and Consumers (FUCI), the Consumers’ Union of Spain (UCE) and the General Consumers’ Association (ASGECO).