Denmark market gets green light

The town of Denmark can look forward to a weekly farmers’ and craft market after a grower successfully sought approval to hold stalls at a shopping complex.

Picture by Laurie Benson: Denmark citrus producer Sahyma Lachman

Organic citrus grower Sahyma Lachman, who owns an orchard on Mt Shadforth, began selling her produce in Palm Court last Saturday.

She has been fighting a shire local law preventing her from setting up her fruit and vegetable stall on council land within 300m of existing grocery stores after she initially tried to sell her produce on shire land.

Ms Lachman has bypassed the restriction by getting approval from the owners of Palm Court to set up her stall on their private land.

She now plans to expand her stall to markets, claiming there was demand from the community.

“People want to support grassroots growers and producers,” she said.

Ms Lachman said the market intended to bring more business to the quiet end of town between 9am and 2pm every Saturday with five 5 per cent of proceeds donated by stallholders to a selected charity.

Shire of Denmark chief executive Dale Stewart said the reason local laws existed to prevent stallholders selling products on shire land was because commercial competitors paid rates.

He said it was illegal for anyone to operate without a stallholder’s permit and planning permission.

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