Here’s an interesting video a friend sent me promoting the buying of local food products in Latvia as opposed to foreign imports:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-vFo4pq4HFs

Irēna

Sweet Sugar Propaganda of 1935

I agree - drink Latvian wine! :)

It doesn’t matter what the country is, the principle is the same.
These 2 examples are from USA:

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/09/beyond-farmers-markets-why-local-food-belongs-on-grocery-shelves/262064/

http://localfoods.about.com/od/finduselocalfoods/tp/5-Reasons-to-Eat-Local-Foods.htm

Buy local ...eat local produce; support local enterprise; I’m all for it ... do it all the time.
(with one exception .. here is a local food chain outlet that buys stuff from who knows where, but the use by date is usually only 2 to 4 days; ie it goes ‘off’ very quickly; + limited stock + it is not cheaper than the national / international supermarket chains).

I’m skeptical of Buy Local campaigns. Consumers will buy local, if local goods are able to compete with foreign goods. In other words, the price and the quality of the goods will be the determining factor, not patriotism.

“I’m skeptical of Buy Local campaigns. Consumers will buy local, if local goods are able to compete with foreign goods. In other words, the price and the quality of the goods will be the determining factor, not patriotism.”

Can’t agree in total.

“In other words, the price and the quality of the goods will be the determining factor, not patriotism.”

Yes, the goods price & quality should approximate foreign products. But when there is the choice patriiotism should prevail. This is what keeps the local wheels (economy) turning around.
Buying imported goods (vs that can be / are grown locally) is self defeating.

But when there is the choice patriiotism should prevail.

Should prevail, doesn’t mean it prevails. No one can explain to me why, for example, Polish vegetables are cheaper than Latvian ones at the same supermarket chain. If you want to keep local producers going, change the tax policies and make improvements to make them more competitive. Patriotism alone won’t do that. In fact, it has quite the opposite effect, it keeps local producers reluctant to make their goods more competitive because they could always rely on patriotism. Why should they bother finding more efficient ways to deliver their goods to the consumer?

a slightly old article (2010):

“http://bnn-news.com/gulbe-due-to-low-demand-prices-will-rise-1916
(I think 1916 is a typr error)

“Should prevail, doesn’t mean it prevails. No one can explain to me why, for example, Polish vegetables are cheaper than Latvian ones at the same supermarket chain.”
Agreed .. it doesn’t prevail ... the pocket determines buying .
As for Polish vegetables being cheaper than local, I don’t know either, except that that the buyers source their products from wherever they can to produce a max profit for the shareholders.

“If you want to keep local producers going, change the tax policies and make improvements to make them more competitive.”
As you well know, I don’t live in Latvia ... you do .. hence that that job goes to you.

“Patriotism alone won’t do that. In fact, it has quite the opposite effect, it keeps local producers reluctant to make their goods more competitive because they could always rely on patriotism.”

Iv’e never seen that happen in my part of the world, in the way you are putting it.
Yes, the small local grower cannot compete with the multinational growers; who also rtely upon the the locals to supplement the promised quotas.
The small locals also try to sell direct to the local coops
That I support.
It helps the local community vs the internationals where the profits disappear overseas.

By buying local Latvian produce it helps local Latvians.
Why do you argue against that?

Aleks, protectionist tax policies are very often against tax treaties.

And mari, for goodness’ sake, just stop.  Aleks is not against buying local, and never said he was.  Trying to harass a Russian-Latvian at every opportunity does not give you points in the “See what a good Latvian I am?” category.  Especially when your claims are obviously manufactured.

anita - 03 November 2012 07:00 AM

Aleks, protectionist tax policies are very often against tax treaties.

True. But I didn’t mean protectionist tax policies. I meant the whole tax system that makes production of goods domestically more expensive. That includes income and business taxes, labor laws, etc. I didn’t mean taxes on imported goods to support the local industry. In the EU, it’s impossible. And considering that Latvia is rather poor, only middle class can afford to privilege of buying local and spending extra money on it.

anita

“Especially when your claims are obviously manufactured.”

Really. What are you referring too?

..................................

Aleks,

One of your articles reached this far flung corner of the planet:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/a/-/world/15288378/latvia-to-seek-euro-readiness-view-next-year/

...................................

I came across this today ... this university, also in this far flung corner of the planet has connections to Latvia:

“Current Activities of Advantage WA c-o Curtin Advantage:
http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/directories/listing?id=22838

Latvia - As honourary members of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce, Advantage WA is working with local communities to develop tourism in rural Latvia, whilst also working with the Latvian Business Innovation Centre.

“And considering that Latvia is rather poor, only middle class can afford to privilege of buying local and spending extra money on it. “

From what I saw last year, I don’t follow the logic.
Where does the produce that is sold at the Central Markets come from? All imports?

The same for a much smaller market in Talsi and Jekabpils .. sure looked like it was locally grown to me (sold from the back of the car or wheelbarrows) and the buyers were not all ‘middle class’ locals.

Where does the produce that is sold at the Central Markets come from? All imports?

The issue is not the location, but the price. Why do you assume that the Central Market produce is cheaper?

“The issue is not the location, but the price. Why do you assume that the Central Market produce is cheaper? “
Indeed. They were just two examples of where I was watching the goings on.

Central Markets
Of course this is all my assumption:

1. running a stall should be a less expensive than running a bricks and mortar shop, or the interior shops…. no refrigeration costs, less electricity costs, less rental fees; probably less govt administration fees
2. the buyers I saw, in the early morning were generally the elderly, with their recycled plastic shopping bags; buying small (daily?) quantities; the late morning trade appeared brisk; probably more indoor than out; then towards evening the middle aged (didn’t look too middle class to me, judging by their apparel) came through, and bought in larger quantity ... maybe to pick up on the daily closing cheaper bargains.
3. all cash transactions - hence possibibly a very loose accounting method ie what could the govt tax dept possibly know or prove - who knows how much produce can be ‘wiped’ off as spoilt, hence possibly a part of the greyer economy.
4. sourcing of produce ... don’t know where from; but saw very few boxes with foreign branding on them - so I assume local produce.
5. in season local produce is always cheaper than supermarket prices (over here anyway) - less transporting costs, less to no chemical additives to make the produce last longer, no advertising costs.
6. most of the stuff in the lockable ‘shops’ were absolute trash / junk; and I saw almost nobody go into those places. So these places are not the attraction. How they exist is beyond me.
7. and the flower sellers were not doing a brisk trade either.
8, the tourist trade would not keep the place in business. If it’s not the price, then maybe it’s the location convenience that is the attraction.
But if people were so poor, and the prices too high, would they not have found an alternative outlet?

Admittedly I was not interested in comparing prices at the stalls to the mini-market in no2? building.
I was staying at Backpackers Planet Hostel for the last couple of days ... step out of the backdoor straight into the markets ... hence the early hours watching of the opening, and then later, the closing hours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Agricultural_Policy

maybe CAP is the problem?

p.s. i don’t know if this is happening lately, but
there were some “local encorcers” taking it
off the top….........
And then there is “dumping”.

Argentine gristle is cheaper than blue cow steak, naturally.