World’s largest fresh food market hit by closed restaurants

Lack of demand: Trading at the fish and seafood pavilion of the Rungis international food market near Paris. Fish and seafood prices have dropped as merchants in the sector are uncertain of selling their products due to the progressive general lockdown in Europe to limit the spread of Covid-19. — AFP

PARIS: On a typical day, 12,000 workers flock to Rungis International Market to sell fish, meat and other produce from as early as 2 am to the restaurants, supermarkets and farmers markets of Paris.

The world’s largest fresh food market, which occupies a space bigger than Monaco, claims to feed 18 million French people in the wider metropolitan area, or about a quarter of the country’s population. Its roots date back to the 12th century.