Bloomberg talks with Stephen Katzman, a president of the Hunts Point Produce Market (Photo courtesy of the Mayor’s office)

Mayor Bloomberg paid a late night visit to the Boogie Down yesterday to meet with vendors at the Hunts Point Produce Market, taking a tour of the facility and talking to some of the leaders there about the challenges they’re facing.

It’s in the best interest of the Bronx and the city that the Mayor stay on good terms with leadership at the market, which employs some 2,400 people and brings in about $2.3 billion in sales each year. A few months ago, it seemed as if the cooperative might pack up and move to New Jersey, tempted by an offer from Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

But the market signed on for at least another three years here in New York at the start of June, and the Mayor said then that they were working on coming up with a long-term deal, which would include a revamping of the market facility.

According to spokesman, last night’s visit included a tour of the market, including the refrigerated storage and the sales platform, while workers were unloading refrigerated trucks and getting ready for a business rush this holiday weekend.