A study on the vegetable trade in Pasir Panjang wholesale centre.

Abstract

The Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre (PPWC) occupies a vital position in the trans-national vegetable distributive system as Singapore imports nearly all its food requirements. It connects producers to consumers, simplifies the marketing process and provides farmers with an alternative avenue to sell their produce. As such the PPWC remains a viable and important institution. Social networks also exist in markets despite claims by classical economists that they do not. These relationships sustain and facilitate the economic functioning of PPWC. The PPWC remains a technological backwater as the majority of wholesalers believe the costs of integrating technology into their operations outweigh the benefits. Nonetheless, the future viability of PPWC depends on its ability to utilise technological tools to boost efficiency and productivity, form cooperative arrangements in purchasing to leverage for better prices and seek continued support from the smaller retailers that constitutes their core customer base.