Farmers Market

The Coronation Market in Kingston
There is something about farmers markets that always attracts crowds of shoppers.  For me it is the perfusion of colour and smell of fresh produce sold by friendly vendors, or higglers as they are called in Jamaica.

Early morning for some shoppers is the time to get the best produce. But whatever the time there is generally good food on offer. For small farmers, the market is key for finding and gaining loyal customers, while shoppers feel secure knowing the source of their food products.  Farmers market is also the place where farmers and traders meet to share the latest news and guard their connections with each other.

Coronation Market in downtown Kingston is reputedly the largest farmers markets in the English-speaking Caribbean.  Its name suggests that it may have started during Queen Victoria’s reign. By then Kingston became Jamaica’s political and commercial capital in 1872. Initially Coronation market was a small farmers market that grew, despite competition from supermarkets uptown as the city expanded.  

Shoppers seeking the best price for food products are guaranteed to find them at Coronation market. The colours, sounds and smells can be quite intoxicating as you are finding your way through the crowded pathways to vendors’ stalls.  Conditions in terms of public health are not always good, but you are certain to find good quality produce sold by a friendly vendor. Visitors gave Coronation market top marks at TripAdvisor.

Here are a few shopping tips when shopping at farmers market in Jamaica:
-    If your Jamaican patwah is weak, take someone with you who is fluent. Foreigners usually get a higher quotation.
-    Be prepared to navigate busy, crowded streets and walkways. Also be on the look-out for handcart drivers speeding through to get to their next destination.
-    Compare prices for the same product among the vendors, as there is usually a range.
-    Ask for a lower price and you are likely to get it.
-    Use Jamaican dollars, credit and debit cards are generally not used for payments.
-    Local produce costs less than the imports, such as apples. So, buy Jamaican.
-    Exercise caution in case of pick pockets

If you are not in Kingston, you can find a farmers’ market in any town nearby.  Across the island there are markets at dedicated locations in or near the town’s centre and open from Mondays to Saturdays.

Here is more on Coronation Market:
Jamaicans.com - https://jamaicans.com/roaming-at-coronation-market-in-kingston-jamaica/
Coronation Market on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSf8Hy7Q3bA
Digicel Coronation Market YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKERT_wMOYE

Also visit our gallery for contemporary Jamaican/Caribbean fine art:https://www.experiencejamaique.com/product_gallery
 

Updated May 2021

September 2018