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The farmers’ market pays $10 a month under its lease at the current location, as well as property taxes; it also helps replenish a reserve fund for building repairs.

The lease expires at the end of the year and the building will close early next year for an undetermined amount of time so the roof can be repaired, according to a city report.

Ramachandran said he would like financial assistance from the city in leasing the new location since the group will be paying full market price for the new building.

“This is a way for the city to save face and try to salvage the situation,” he said.

Ramachandran said he has met with eight city councillors to discuss the matter.

City council will consider an update on the situation with the current farmers’ market building on Monday.

The report to council says the city has been approached by “other potential farmers’ markets and potential vendors” interested in leasing space at the site. The city administration is looking at options to have a group or person operate the site and manage vendors, the report adds.

City hall is not expecting more than one request to manage the site, but wants to keep a farmers’ market component, the report says.

Ramachandran said he is skeptical that any other farmers’ market could match or exceed the co-operative, which has 100 members and another 40 to 50 producers. That makes the Saskatoon market the largest in the province, he said.

The farmers’ market has decided not to make another pitch to stay at its current site because the first two were rejected, he said.