Prices in short circuits and long chains: producers and consumers at the 'Manos de la Tierra' fair

Abstract

During recent years, short circuits of commercialization have grown in number and importance, mainly those which are related to social and solidarity economy enterprises as well as family agriculture which promote a greater relationship between producers and consumers, and are an alternative to conventional circuits. This paper exposes the evolution of prices and sales volume of a family agriculture fair, comparing, as well, these informations with an average of grocery store prices. The understanding of these aspects of short commercialization circuits aims to be a contribution to the study of the logic that rules these spaces, their advantages and particular features for producers and consumers, information which stems from the analysis of compared prices. The results were obtained through a survey carried out at the 'Manos de la Tierra' fair (La Plata, Buenos Aires) between June 2015 and June 2016, and later compared with with data provided by the Consumer Price Index of the Buenos Aires City Government for the same period.