Food Market is the market where purchase and sell of different kind of food takes place. The word “Food” is a broad term. Anything which is eatable can be referred as Food. Food products include the cereals like rice, wheat, pulses, the vegetables, oil, poultry products, dairy products, bakery products, fish, meat and other varieties. All these are traded between buyers and sellers in the Food Market.
Classification of Food Market:
For a better understanding of Food Market and it’s functioning, classification of Food Markets according to the three main classes of food is helpful. Food can be classified in three broad types as following:
Food Grain Market
This is the most important market among all Food Markets. Food grains like rice, wheat, pulses, oilseeds etc. are purchased and sold in the food grain market. These food products are generally not exchanged directly between the producers and consumers. The producers of food grains that are the farmers sell their products to local markets or wholesale markets or to some intermediate traders. Via these intermediate traders and the wholesalers the food grains reach all local markets where these are sold on retail basis to the actual consumers who purchase these food grains for personal consumption.
Fresh Food Market
Fresh Foods are those, which are not processed. Vegetables and Fruits are the best examples of unprocessed Fresh Food. This type of food is generally purchased by the consumers directly from the growers or farmers in the rural areas. In the urban areas this type of food is purchased and sold in the Farmers’ Market, Supermarkets and Specialty Food Stores. Other than vegetables and fruits, other unprocessed food products are meat, eggs and dairy products which are available in a less fresh form compared to vegetables and fruits. Demand for these Fresh Foods has a constant flow as these goods fall under the category of necessary goods that every person requires.
Processed Food Market
Processed Food Market mainly comprises of the supermarkets and the specialty stores. Food products sold in the Processed Food Market are Canned Food Products, Frozen Vegetables, Prepared Dishes and Fast Foods. This type of Food Market is more operational in the urban areas as the demand for this type of Processed Food is identified mostly among the urbanized citizens of any country.