The Naplavka farmer’s market, taking place every Saturday on the banks of the Vltava river, was created through the initiative of Sedláček family, who got inspired abroad and wanted to restore the tradition of farmer’s markets in the capital. In 2007, a Prague City Council study determined appropriate places for such markets to be held, and in in 2010, the Sedláčeks created markets at the Náplavka riverbank, Jiřího z Poděbrad and Kubánské náměstí.
Mr. Sedláček also co-founded the Association of Farmer’s Markets (http://www.aftcr.cz/), which defines the ethics and criteria for sales and products, overseeing the origin, transparency and selection of traditional Czech products for markets. According to the association’s code, farmers’ markets should offer products from domestic (Czech) farms and mainly from regional production. Fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, flowers, honey, eggs, meats and breads are some of the main products sold. Farmers and producers are selected on the basis of a questionnaire and personal visits to the farms. Individual profiles of vendors can be viewed here: www.farmarsketrziste.cz.
“Without vegetables, a marketplace is not a marketplace. According to the code of the Association of Farmers’ Markets, only 10% of products may be of foreign production. We are looking for foods with a clear origin, from small and family farms, which are not represented in chains and are exceptionally high in taste and quality.” – Jiri Sedlacek, co-founder of Náplavka and Jiřák farmers’ markets, and co-founder of the Association of Farmers’ Markets