Prague Market’s fruit and vegetable hall reopens for pickups of orders placed in advance

The vegetable market in Hall 22 of Prague Market (Pražská tržnice) in Holešovice is reopening for pickups. Prague authorities will start to allow the sale of vegetables, fruit and other farm goods from some of the hall’s windows. Growers who have been worried about their harvest this year welcome the opportunity to sell their produce, according to a City Hall press release.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic and quarantine measures, we have been troubled by the fate of small growers and retailers at Hall 22 in the Prague Market. This remains closed due to government regulations because it is considered by the responsible state authorities as a market, that is, a prohibited form of commercial activity,” Prague Deputy Mayor Pavel Vyhnánek (Praha sobě) said.

“However, we have now made an important breakthrough in our discussions with the Prague Public Health Authority and the Ministry of Health,” he added. “Our growers are at least partially rescued.”

Ordering vegetables, fruits and other goods through the contacts listed on the website of Prague Market Hall 22 started April 9, and pickup at the windows will start on the Tuesday following Easter, which is April 14. (Easter Monday is a national holiday.)

“Opening the windows in Hall 22 is good news if people come. I’m glad at least we managed to establish something. It is a good system because I will bring as many goods as people order from me in advance. It can work,” Jaroslav Doskočil, who sells vegetables and seedlings, said.

“The situation is daunting for us. We have full tents and greenhouses, and we are worried we will have to throw away the crops. I have been selling in Hall 22 for 29 years and we haven’t seen anything like it since the flood,” he added, referring to a flood in 2002 that shut down many businesses and caused substantial damage.

The sale will work under strict hygienic conditions. A discrete zone for picking up orders will be established, and customers must of course keep two meters apart and wear face masks.

Also open in the Prague Market for take-away sales are Pražské taštičky, bistro Jatka 78, Trang An Vietnamese restaurant, bakery Slovenská pekárna, and sweet shop cukrárna Kopeček. Other stores and operations have modified their functioning according to the current government regulations.