ONE of the strong performers in the coronavirus crisis, Albury-Wodonga Farmers' Market, is now grappling with the border closure.
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South Albury beef producer and vegetable grower Willowbank, Holbrook beef producer Grassroots Beef and Bungowannah egg and vegetable stallholder RAD Growers will not attend this Saturday's market in Wodonga.
Willowbank owner Byron Gray said he would miss this week's market to see how things panned out.
Having been a stallholder since 2002, Mr Gray said his team had only ever missed one market.
"We won't have as many NSW customers until people sort out their permits," he said.
"Our farmgate shop will still open on Friday and we're still delivering on both sides of the border."
Grassroots Beef is offering free delivery north of the border around Albury on Friday.
Albury Wodonga Farmers' Market president Melissa Angove said the market in Gateway Village would run on Saturday as planned.
"It will be business as usual for the stallholders and we'll wait and see for the customers," she said.
"For stallholders who live in NSW, they can cross the border for work purposes.
"Albury-Wodonga customers can get a permit to cross the border (for daily life)."
IN OTHER CORONAVIRUS NEWS:
Ms Angove said new customers had flocked to the farmers' markets throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number had soared from 500 to 600 to between 1100 and 1400 during recent months.
"Our numbers have almost doubled throughout COVID," Ms Angove said.
"I think people want to know where their food comes from."
Ms Angove said with three-quarters of Victorian farmers' markets forced to close, stallholders were grateful to still be open.
"We look forward to when we can have entertainers and tables and chairs back at the market," she said.
"But we have done everything in our power to not shut down over the crisis.
"We didn't stop any protective measures even when restrictions eased, which has put us in a strong position now."
A spokeswoman for Menulog, which delivers food for 55 Albury eateries throughout the Border, said it was monitoring the situation closely.
"Specifically for border towns, we have provisions in place to ensure that couriers do not cross the NSW/Victorian state border if they have not received a government permit to do so, and to help ensure local restaurants can continue to trade safely and in line with government restrictions at this time," she said.
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