This refers to “Interest rates & Malthus’ prediction” (January 24) by A V Rajwade. It would indeed help if the government could seriously push the idea of setting up mobile markets for farm produce to eliminate middlemen. The author, however, seems to prefer encouraging organised retail instead. In that regard, one needs to keep in mind that organised retail outlets need large commercial spaces, and the scarcity and high prices of land in cities do not help. Moreover, the few and far between large retail outlets that may be possible in cities, can hardly serve the consumer adequately, especially the urban poor. This is especially so due to the need to travel long distances between the residence and the retail outlet, coupled with the inadequate and expensive transport facilities. Against this background, mobile markets certainly seem to be a much more workable option. It will need to be backed by the use of the latest refrigeration, storage and transportation technologies as well as information technology in general and GPS in particular so that marketing can be done in the most efficient manner.
Kishor Kulkarni, Mumbai
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