Urban-rural reciprocal interaction potential to develop weekly markets and regional development in Iran

Rural-urban interaction in sustainable socio-economic conditions leads to reciprocal and positive performance in the area of economic linkages. Positive effects of this reciprocal interaction include the improvement of employment, income and wealth of generations. However, the importance of some cities has not been considered for various reasons and hence the macroeconomic and commercial policies at national and regional levels have been underestimated. The present study reveals the infrastructural problems, imperatives and constraints that hinder the formation of weekly markets, which in turn prevent the empowerment of villages and their economic development. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 199 exhibitors and 384 buyers in 49 periodic markets around Tehran. The results showed that population size and the convergent role of urban and rural vendors in connection with the development of transportation networks within an area affect the establishment and sustainability of rural and urban periodic markets and their regional development. Paying attention to the promotion of direct supply of rural agricultural and non-agricultural products in these markets is important in order to balance urban and rural development.