The world’s second largest sh market celebrates its 40th anniversary

This year, 2023, marks Mercamadrid’s 40th anniversary and the second year that Mercamadrid has a stand at the Seafood Expo Global. Mercamadrid is the wholesale market in Madrid which hosts 800 vendors of sh, fruits and vegetables, meats, and other food products. Last year, 417,000 tonnes of both imported and local sh were sold at the market with about 77% being Spanish sh. Mercamadrd is the second largest sh market in the world, with the Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, Japan being the rst. e market is about the same size as Monaco, covering 220 hectares, or the equivalent of six football elds. More than 400 species of sh are sold at the market, of which the most popular are

Kontali, Norway

hake, salmon, cod, and tuna. Hake was once the most popular sh at Mercamadrid, but in recent years, salmon sales have begun to compete with hake sales. Melanie Gonzalez, the market’s customer service o cer, said the majority of Spain’s sh is sold in Madrid, where demand is the highest in Spain, even though Madrid is landlocked. Mercamadrid has 140 employees, but in total, 9,000 people work at the market, with 165 di erent sh vendors. Every day 14,000 buyers come to the market. Ms Gonzalez reported that since Covid, the sh sales volumes have not changed, but on a day-today basis sh sells more quickly. e market now sells out earlier in the day. Tuna sells out within the rst hour of the market opening. e