Is there Gender Equity in Organized Indian Fish Retail

Markets?
Pankaj H. Mugaonkar*, P.S. Ananthan, Arpita Sharma, and
Tanmaya Dev
Central Institute of Fisheries Education

Deemed University, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

Versova, Mumbai- 400061, India
Email: pankajmugaonkar@gmail.com*
Abstract
Retailing is final step in the distribution of produce. It is last link in the
supply chain connecting the bulk produces of commodities to the final
consumers. Fish finds its place in the diversity of products retailed in the
market. Structure of fish marketing has been changing considerably since
the days of technological improvements of fishing industry. In the recent
years, transformation of unorganized fish retail marketing in to organized
fish retailing has been noticed in India through entry of private retailer giants
such as Spencer’s, Starbazar, More, etc. organized system demands the
professionals for operation of the system. It is perceived, that it gives equal
opportunity for both the gender to work in the system, the reality may be
otherwise. With this background a study was done to analyze gender equity
in terms of participation, in organized retail fish market vis a vis traditional
fish market. Study was performed in one of the important metros, Mumbai
India. It was found that women’s participation in the organized retail market
(Spinach, Spencer, Foodland, Star bazaar) was limited to as fish cutter and
fish dresser and only few women were involved in this work. This was
compared as to the traditional fish marketing in two main fish markets
namely versova fish market and Savarkar fish market, Mumbai. It was found
that in these two markets, majority of fish cutters and fish dressers were
females. It was interesting to find that more than half of the women working
in the traditional fish markets were ready to work in organized fish retail
outlets. Women who did not show interest in working in organized retail
markets owned their own stall in the fish markets and performed the work of
cutter and fish dresser and they earn reasonable profit. The study has
revealed that participation of women in the organized fish retail outlet was
very limited and interventions should be made to increase their participation
so as to ensure gender equity.