MEAT MARKETING | Wet Markets

Wet markets, where floors are continually washed down, are traditional systems of food marketing, especially in Asia, consisting of poultry farmers’ markets, fishmongers, and open-air butcher shops. Stores are relatively small and cater for those who quick shop for fresh foods. At the meat stalls, large slabs of meat hang from metal hooks, butchers are skillful in preparation according to the requirement of their customers and poultry are kept in multitier cages for customers to inspect and choose and ultimately be slaughtered. Convenience and freshness are their strengths and although hygiene appears poor, food does not accumulate. One estimate is that 90% of slaughtered meat in Asia is in wet markets and the proportion of shoppers involved can be 60–80% of the population: countries involved include Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The methods of ‘warm’ meat distribution and marketing without refrigeration works well only where transport distance is short.