Although public markets in many cities around the world are often even tourist sites, the Valledupar Popular Market has lost many customers.
“It stayed in time,” he admits. Lilian Zabaleta, manager of Mercaupara joint company that manages most of this public service shopping center.
Zabaleta came to office in August of this year, she is a social communicator and journalist, a specialist in Business Management and Public Management and a master’s degree in Business Development.
In interview with THE PYLONthe director spoke about the most recent operation to recover public space and the vision that she and her team have to improve the conditions of this site that she defines as “the heritage of the vallenatos.”
How did you find the Market when you took office?
It remained in time, it did not innovate in its infrastructure and in the operation of the entity itself. We must improve in all areas, it is a difficult task, but not impossible.
The Market is a mixed entity, 60% is from the merchants who belong to the Coomerva cooperative and 40% is from the municipal administration. The land belongs to the Mayor’s Office and the infrastructure belongs to the merchants.
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But a change has already begun to be seen with the remodeling of the Meat Pavilion…
In approximately 20 days the new pavilion will be inaugurated, with all the technical specifications that that area demands. Health, space, clothing, there will be air conditioning and energy with solar panels. We are going to demand standards of quality and customer service.
The investment made by the Mayor’s Office was approximately seven billion pesos. We already deserved a work of this magnitude because the Market offers the best prices, but clients thought a little when it came to going because of the conditions under which this activity was being provided while there are other establishments that invite the client to buy.
If we improve, we will recover our customers, that is why all these activities that are being carried out are a series of strategies to recover various areas of the Market so that people come back.
Mercaupar requested an intervention on the outskirts of the Market to recover the public areas that sellers and vehicle owners invade because it affects the sales of formal merchants, but we noticed that inside the Market there are also conditions that keep customers away…
Just as there is an invasion of public space outside the Market, measures must also be taken inside.
We need to clear so that our customers can walk calmly, without so much merchandise being passed through. We definitely have to put things in order.
Cleanliness and health conditions are important due to food, what is the process like there?
The Coomerva cooperative is in charge of cleaning. The dynamic is that at 2 in the afternoon the cleaning team arrives at the entire Market.
We want this cleaning not only to be done at 2 when the commercial activity ends, but also at 10 in the morning a tour is also done because some people are serving customers and throwing garbage, practically the cleaning is being done after the the client goes.
And how are you doing with the Aseo del Norte service?
Near the Market we have a lot that is where the final disposal of garbage goes. Aseo del Norte goes to that lot and picks them up. We request a new capacity to measure the amount of garbage because the bill we receive is quite high and we need to lower costs.
How long does the invoice arrive?
$10 million, on average, in addition we paid for the cleaning of the cooperative for $43 million. In other words, we are paying around 53 million pesos for cleaning.
What other effects are there on the Market facilities?
One problem we have is that the sewer system is more than 50 years old, and the water overflows. The idea is to present a project to the new administration to change the sewage system because it is obsolete.
The other project that we want to present is the food plazas because they are dispersed throughout the Market. The objective is to establish the plaza with technical conditions that invite you to eat in the Market because everything is eye-catching.
There are 502 stores, plus 207 stationary vendors within the Market, how is the payment culture?
The premises, depending on their area, pay the rent, which varies depending on the square meter. Stationary sellers pay between $3,500 and $5,000 daily.
You have to recover your wallet quite a bit. We are in charge of paying for the cleaning of the Market, the services of the common areas and the general investment for its operation. The electricity and gas for each location is independent, each merchant is responsible for paying it.
How much is the budget and what debts does Mercaupar have?
The income for the year 2023 is $1,885,403,217. We have debts of $800 million with the Cooperative, Interaseo, surveillance, among other aspects.
Mercaupar does not manage the Fish Pavilion, how is the relationship with these marketers in that sector?
The Fish Pavilion is managed by the marketing company Mercabastos. We respect the economic activity that complements the Market, but we do not have any administrative relationship with them.
By Andrea Carolina Guerra Peña
@andreacguerrap
