The हाट

While buying any goods, I habitually check the manufacturer, expiry or best before date and the brand name. However, I realised that I altogether forgo this cardinal check when I buy the vegetables and fruits from the weekly हाट. As Master has observed well, 'Brand is the minimum guarantee of quality', it is quite unsettling to note that the aforementioned aphorism fails in the context of हाट. Not only the quality is excellent, but the price of the goods is reasonable too. It's a different issue, nevertheless, that I never bargain. Haggling, I regard infra dig.

A simple mechanism works behind the curtains to provide this desirable combo to me, the end consumer. The sellers if the vegetables at the हाट are none other but the farmers themselves. In some cases, the first hand traders, who buy the vegetables directly from the farmers and then sell. As the number of middlemen in the supply chain are minimal (or none), the gap between the cost price and the final selling price is relatively modest. It translates into a cheaper buy for the end consumer. Besides, as the goods are fresh - picked and carried, straight from the farm - the quality is unquestionable. Moreover, the farmers recover the cost of their produce, pronto. As the goods are sold in retail and not wholesale, the per unit price is wee bit higher, resulting in commensurately higher margins.

The major problem with the perishable products is the storage, transportation and above all, timely consumption. Statistically, 40% of the perishable produce, perishes presently. हाट prevents it. As an icing on the cake, as the हाट are weekly, they don't occupy (and in turn encroach) the land permanently; something that's the cause of worry to the (incumbent) administration.

हाट, all in all, represent fantastic socio-economic models. In HR parlance, they offer win-win situation to all parties. In fact, the upcoming retail joints in this particular vertical have more or less similar business model. The only thing that bothers me is the downmarket appeal of the हाट. हाट, to me, are utility malls stripped down of the glitz. So, from next time, use हाट. It's hot!