A Shirt In The Market

Exercise

Glossary

                    

Term	Explanation
Ginning Mill	A factory where seeds are removed from cotton bolls. The cotton is pressed into bales to be sent for spinning into thread
Exporter	A person who sells goods abroad
Profit	The amount that is left or gained from earnings after deducting all the costs. If the costs are more than the earnings, it would lead to a loss.

Questions

1. What made Swapna sell the cotton to the trader instead of selling at the Kurnool cotton market?
Answer: Swapna had borrowed ₹ 2500 at high interest from the local trader. The amount was borrowed in order to buy seeds, fertilisers and pesticides for cultivation. The other condition which Swapna had to agree to was that she would sell all her cotton to him instead.

2. Describe the conditions of employment as well as the wages of workers in the garment exporting factory. Do you think the workers get a fair deal?
Answer: The conditions of employment in the garment exporting factory are as follows:

• Workers are employed on a temporary basis, which means that they can be dismissed as soon as the work is done or whenever the employer has no need of them.
• They are under pressure to produce quality products in a limited time-frame
• They are forced to work for long hours under extreme conditions
• No, the workers don’t get a fair deal as they are paid very less for the work they do, in addition to being exploited by their employer. There is no job security as they can be asked to leave at a moment’s notice.

3. Think of something common that we use. It could be sugar, tea, milk, pen, pencil, paper, etc. Discuss through what chain of markets this reaches you. Can you think of the people that help in the production or trade?
Answer: The chain of markets for milk production is as follows:

• Dairy cooperatives purchase milk from dairy farmers. 
• The milk is then transported to the factories. 
• The milk is then pasteurised and packed in containers
• The packed milk containers are then given to traders working with the cooperatives who transport them to locations where wholesale dealers will purchase them
• Retailers then purchase the milk from the wholesalers who then sell the packed milk at booths spread across the city

4. Arrange the statement given below int the correct order and then fill in the numbers in the cotton balls accordingly. The first two have been done for you.

1. Swapna sells the cotton to the trader
2. Customer buy these shirts in a supermarket
3. The trader sells cotton to the Ginning Mill
4. Garment exporters buy the cloth from merchants making the shirts
5. Yarn dealers or merchants give the yarn to the weavers
6. The exporter sells shirts to the businessperson from the USA
7. Spinning mill buys the cotton and sells yarn to the yarn dealer
8. Weavers return with the cloth
9. Ginning mill cleans the cotton and makes it into bales

Answer:
1. Swapna sells the cotton to the trader
3. The trader sells cotton to the Ginning Mill
9. Ginning mill cleans the cotton and makes it into bales
7. Spinning mill buys the cotton and sells yarn to the yarn dealer
5. Yarn dealers or merchants give the yarn to the weavers
8. Weavers return with the cloth
4. Garment exporters buy the cloth from the merchants for making shirts
6. The exporter sells shirts to the businessperson from the USA
2. Customers buy these shirts in a supermarket.