Close, but not quite.... It isn't so much that the plant isn't producing more chiles while waiting for green ones to ripen to red, it's that the red ones don't last as long on the grocers' shelves. You are correct that it still boils down to $$$. Green ones have considerably longer shelf life than do red ones. I let mine go to fully red before using. -Jim C MWPH Setting 'slow mail' for two weeks- Indiana State Fair.