Job Discussion Forums

Xin · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 40

Issue:

15 rmb watermelon in Shanghai is only 4 rmb in Henan Province.

Question:

Was consumer ripped off in Shanghai?

Answer:

Henan Province watermelon is locally grown and exchanged hands only 2 times before reaching a consumer within walking distance of the local farm.

Shanghai watermelon is trucked a great distance and exchanged hands probably as much as 6 times before reaching the consumer. The logistics and agriculture supply chain in China is expensive.

Living in the province is economicaly advantageous when it comes to locally produced raw agricultural products.

bendan · Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 739 Location: North China

There are plenty of watermelon grown in the Shanghai area. Hardly surprising when they can find people who'll pay 15 RMB for them.

Ace · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 358

Mr Xin, You've got to be a Chinese English teacher yeah? Economics more important than grammar...

Xin · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 40

bendan:

Watermelon grown around Shanghai are few and far between and highly seasonal.

You obviously do not understand the agricultural production and marketing scheme of China and instead decide to insult the Chinese who both produce and consume.

I take personal offense with your denegration of my credibility and your insult to the people of Shanghai. Why do you act like just another ugly foreigner?

Burl Ives · Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 226 Location: Burled, PRC

I buy 2 yuan watermelon in Zhejiang. Shanghai people must be great admirers of the poorer provinces.

mike w · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:13 am Post subject:

Xin wrote:

Xin · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 40

Mike w:

No chip here! Just seen far too many ugly foreigners come to China and try to change China into exactly what they tried to leave behind.

mike w · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:34 am Post subject:

OK - no chip. Just a serious attitude problem.

Not all foreigners are ugly, or want to change China!!

ilunga · Joined: 17 Oct 2003 Posts: 842 Location: China

Hi Xin. You sound great.
Where in Henan are you from? Can we be friends?

bendan · Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 739 Location: North China

I have nothing but admiration for the guy who charged you 15 RMB for the watermelon. I bet he called you "pengyou".

I confess that it's true that I don't understand the "agricultural production and marketing scheme" of China.

ilunga · Joined: 17 Oct 2003 Posts: 842 Location: China

4RMB a Watermelon in Henan is a laowai price.

Still waiting Xin. You can PM me if you want.

peterpaul · Joined: 02 Jun 2004 Posts: 36 Location: Shanghai

Where did they buy the watermelon in Shanghai, Xin Tian Di? 15 rmb would have to be a very large watermelon or a very foolish purchaser. I see them all the time on street stalls at 9 mau to 1 rmb a jin. While it may be more expensive than in the provinces, I have found many other products, those that are, shall we say "value added", to be much cheaper in Shanghai than in Western Zhejiang or SE Anhui.

Besides, people pay what the market will bear. A better question would be why do farmers continue to grow a crop with such an unprofitable return on their investment, either in terms of money or "sweat equity"? Certainly cotton, mulberry (for silkworms), or perhaps some fruit would produce a much better cash flow...

Gray000 · Joined: 14 Apr 2003 Posts: 183 Location: A better place

Xin - Why would a foreigner need an explanation of locational economics (or the economics of location)? We've been dealing with free markets for a long time, thank you. You make a typically marxist mistake of assuming that prices are driven only by supply costs, ignoring the influence of the hoards of rich fools in Shanghai. Ever hear of conspicuous consumption? Hell, ever hear of haggling? 15 is too much.

It looks like you are just another arrogant Chinese who can't believe that a foreigner might be able to understand what's going on because -gasp- IT'S CHINA! Why should we accept you as an authoritative voice when we've been to Shanghai and bought local watermelons?

When you post on this board, you are not in China. You are in laowai land. We probably won't pretend that you said something profound to save your face when you copy something out of a 5th grade reader. Open your eyes.

Norman Bethune · Joined: 19 Apr 2004 Posts: 731

A few weeks ago I posted about the ways intelligence services used media during the cold war to plant misinformation or get a point of view acoss. I suggested obliquely in the post that some posts on Dave's were planted by agent provocateurs.

One or two people responded that I was paranoid.

Xin, you proved my point. Xie Xie.

And why in Hell would you think anyone here cared about the price of watermelon being what it is? Your post was pure flame bait. No wonder China is so Flucked up. You are a disgrace to your work unit! You wasted time indulging in non-productive decadent behaviour! You contributed nothing to the building of China or the advancement of the proletariat! You must go to the countryside for reeducation!

Oops...sorry...for a moment I forgot China is no longer on the true path of socialism.

bendan · Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 739 Location: North China

Why do so many people think Xin is Chinese? He's clearly not.