interesting article on india's transformation due to new retail techniques.
http://iht.com/articles/2006/10/19/business/retail.php
i wonder if the positive spin on the effect on downstream suppliers
is true - though, in theory, that is what should happen (below)
-rishab
"For as long as they can remember, the Pokharkars have lived from
loan to mouth, with never more than a few rupees on hand. The
middlemen gave them seeds and fertilizer on credit, and then took the
harvest as repayment.
When the middlemen lied about prices, the family had no recourse.
Two years ago, the family turned to big companies - first Godrej
Industries, an Indian conglomerate with a small chain of high-end
supermarkets, then Reliance.
Because the companies cut out middlemen, they pay more than market
price. They also pay in cash. With farmers' help, they select,
package and transport the produce more vigilantly than was done
before. Farmers earn higher incomes even as more and better produce
reaches the city. "
