Isha says buying vegetables straight from the farmer will always be cheaper than a shop, since the…
Isha says buying vegetables straight from the farmer will always be cheaper than a shop, since the middle traders are cut out. Her brother says this is not always true. Who is right?
Who do you think is right? Pick one.
The answer: Her brother is right, you also have to count the trip, buying in bulk, and the real work the traders do
Why
Isha has spotted something real — every trader in the chain adds a bit to the price, so removing them can lower it. But 'always cheaper' skips the costs that come with going direct. You have to travel to the farm, which costs time and fare. Farmers usually sell in bulk, so you might have to buy a whole sack, not the 250 grams you actually need. And the traders were not doing nothing — they transport the crop, store it, sort it, and take the loss when some rots on the way; a shop's price includes those services. Test it: work out the real cost of a direct trip — bus fare both ways, a full day, and a sack of tomatoes you cannot finish before half spoil — against just buying a small fresh lot at the corner shop. Her brother is right: going direct can be cheaper, but not always, once the trip, the bulk buying, and the work the traders actually do are counted in.
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