Wholesale markets for fresh food products have tended to decline in importance in OECD countries as well as in Latin America and some Asian countries as a result of the growth of supermarkets, which procure directly from farmers or through preferred suppliers, rather than going through markets.
句中 as a result of the growth of supermarkets, which procure directly from farmers or through preferred suppliers, rather than going through markets.是做缘由状语？which procure directly from farmers or through preferred suppliers, rather than going through markets.是非限制性定语从句限定supermarkets，rather than是并列连词还是介词？going through markets目前分词短语做分句？
rather than既能够作为准并列连词，连接相等的句子成分，也可作为复合介词后接名词或动名词结构。
以下为《麦克米伦词典》例句：
Dougchosetoquitrather thanadmitthat he’d made amistake. 作为准并列连词连接二个不定式。
Rather thancriticizingyourhusband, why not find out if there’s somethingwrong? 作为介词后接动名词短语。
Wewantthemattersettledsoonerrather thanlater. 作为准并列连词连接二个状语。
网友的句子中，rather than后接动名词短语，为复合介词。
