Speculation that an Otago Farmers Market stallholder may be on-selling produce not grown by them has been quashed.
Several stallholders, who declined to be named, told the Otago Daily Times there was growing suspicion that one stallholder could be selling produce they did not grow.
A trading policy of the Otago Farmers Market Trust was for all goods for sale to be the vendor's own, and "explicitly excludes the sale of goods purchased for resale".
"You have to wonder when you start seeing stuff well out of season," one stallholder said.
However, stallholders declined to name the producer concerned.
Other stallholders contacted by the ODT said they were not aware of anyone breaking the trading policy.
Otago Farmers Market general manager John More said he was not aware of any claims concerning a stallholder's produce.
He said the trust received several queries from stallholders and members of the public last year, expressing concern over some stallholders' produce.
"We investigate these things fully, and I am comfortable that our system is robust and fair."
Mr More said often people did not have the full story about how some out-of-season items from the Otago Farmers Market items were produced.
Tomatoes, for example, could be grown in heated hothouses and supplied out of season.
Mr More said he would approach a stallholder if a formal written complaint had been received, and the matter would be referred to the trust if there were found to be any problems with their produce.
"I am confident the trust deals with these in a professional, competent manner."
Stallholders were kept regularly informed by the trust on any problems concerning the market, he said.
The first weekly farmers market began in March 2003 at the Dunedin Railway Station, and in November of that year a vegetable stall was closed due to the outlet selling produce it did not grow.
