Markets and produce in Villarrica: Mercado Nº 1 and the growers' fair

Fresh produce in Villarrica comes from two places: the Mercado Municipal Nº 1 in the microcentro, and the Feria Amistad, where Guairá growers sell in Plaza Libertad. Go in the morning with your own bags and small notes, and use a supermarket only for what you could not find.

Where is the Mercado Municipal Nº 1 and what does it sell?

The market sits in the microcentro, next to the site of the old bus terminal, with about 375 stalls: vegetables, cassava (mandioca), meat, offal, clothing and small eateries serving breakfast and lunch (ABC Color, 2022⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Many vendors also set up on the pavements and parts of the surrounding streets, so the market starts before you reach the main shed.

• What to buy: leafy greens, cassava, onions, meat and offal for the day.
• When: early. The eateries open with breakfast, and by mid-morning it is busier and hotter.
• In the rain: in 2022 stallholders complained of a leaking roof over the food section, and the city announced a phased renovation backed by Itaipú (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠; Prensa Mercosur⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). On a stormy day, shop another time.

A note on the terminal: the old building beside the market was demolished to build a new one, and buses used a temporary terminal 1.5 km away in the meantime (ABC Color, 2025⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). If you arrive by bus to shop, ask the driver where you will be dropped.

When is the Feria Amistad on?

The Feria Amistad is the weekly fair of the growers' association of the same name, which sells in Plaza Libertad two days a week. In 2025 the Agriculture Ministry gave it a kit of 20 tents, tables and chairs (ABC Color, 2025⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). The report does not publish fixed days, so ask the stallholders or the municipality and save the days on your phone.

At the fair you buy straight from the grower: seasonal vegetables, fruit and farm products. Bring cash and ask what they will harvest next week; regulars often get produce set aside.

Which fruit is in season?

Grapes from Colonia Independencia, at the foot of the Ybytyruzú hills, are Guairá's signature fruit. They sell mainly in November, December and January through fairs and direct sales; in the 2025 season growers charged G. 12,000 to G. 15,000 per kilo depending on the variety (InfoNegocios, 2025⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). To buy at the source, Independencia usually holds its Expo Ecológica in October (La Nación, 2024⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

For everything else, look at what is piled high on the stalls: whatever is plentiful is in season and usually cheaper.

Heat, rain and keeping produce fresh

Villarrica has very hot summers, with records above 40 °C, and about 97 rainy days a year (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Plan around it:

• Order: heavy, hardy items first (cassava, onions), leafy greens and meat last.
• Cooler bag: essential if you have other errands afterwards.
• Never leave shopping in a parked car in the sun.

Cash or QR?

QR codes now account for 68.1% of Paraguay's electronic payments (ABC Color, 2026⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠), but not every market or fair stall has one. Carry small notes and coins, and keep QR or a card for the supermarket. The city has around a dozen supermarkets (InfoNegocios, 2025⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠); our Villarrica supermarket guide helps you pick one.

If you are visiting

If you are passing through and want to take something home, shop last, just before you leave, so the produce does not sit in the heat. For the rest of the day see what to see in Villarrica, and if you are moving here, budgeting in Villarrica.