2005 年 14 巻 2 号 p. 64-72
Targeting four local wholesale markets in the southeastern area of Saitama Prefecture, an area adjacent to the Tokyo metropolis, which is included in the collection/distribution network of Tokyo's large wholesale markets and is situated near North Adachi Market, a branch of the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, the research examined the following points: (1) How local products flow into these markets, paying particular attention to an influx of non-Saitama products and transfer shipments from other markets by checking transactions at the Morning Market and Evening Market. (2) How local products are shipped out of these markets, paying particular attention to sales to the local retailers as well as shipments to other markets by brokers by checking the twice-a-day transactions. (3) Clarification of the present role of the target market and special traits in collecting and distributing locally produced vegetables and fruits. Based on the research, it was clear that while market transactions with metropolitan markets are limited, the market is closely tied with intra-Saitama markets through interchanging products. At the Morning Market, these markets distribute products to nearby retail shops and to private/local supermarkets, thus showing the traits of a local-centered distribution system. Although handling of products brought in to the Morning Market by individual farmers is not extensive, locally produced merchandise shipped by farmers' unions and transferred from other markets is distributed for local consumption. In the evening, markets show a completely different face, that of a collection/distribution center for brokers to ship merchandise to major markets in the Keihin area. The paper concludes by stressing that the wholesale markets in this area thus play two roles, depending on the time of day.