The economic trajectory of the Palermo fruit and vegetable market diverges dramatically from that of the fish market. During the 1950s and 1960s this market was the arena for a number of criminal episodes which attracted the attention of the authorities. In 1955-56 at least ten men were murdered in various circumstances related to the market; eight more were killed in 1962-63 (CPM-RMI: 3-5). All sorts of irregularities were common, and a large proportion of commissionari—commission agents also known as scaristi, the counterparts of the fish market's mandatari—boasted criminal records.

XREF: Contrasts sharply with the fish market (mandatari) already discussed — the two markets diverge dramatically in criminality despite parallel commission-agent structures. QUESTION: Why did the produce market attract more criminal violence than the fish market? Worth investigating what structural factors differed.

Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Busi…, loc. 541