Monday, 24 September 2012

Please don't make our country Firangi Dependent India (FDI)


I am not too sure whether FDI should be allowed or not, whether much talked about benefits of FDI viz.,  1) Price reduction 2) infrastructure 3) job creation etc are real or just theoretical.

Logically speaking if today we buy goods worth Rs 1000 from retail channel (any) and if foreign retail chains were to create NET employment generation in economy, how is that possible unless they sale the goods at Rs 1000 plus? And even if they sale goods at Rs 1000 minus (which we are assuming) and still make profit, will not somewhere someone lose job on Net basis in the economy? This is because retail does not actually add value and hence cannot really change the size of the economy. What it therefore changes is distribution of income. How it can favorably change the distribution of income need to be understood.

None of the Indian organised retailers have succeeded in India - is it because Indian’s don't know how to do business or our economic structure is getting more and more distorted for organised retailers to survive. We are assuming that foreign retailer, with even tougher conditions  to comply with, will be able to do profitable business and reduce cost for consumer at the same time. How is that going to happen? Rental  prices of real estate and commodity will further go up in anticipation of FDI, making business even more difficult. Why should they come? Even if they come how long can they sustain?

Why will foreigners come to India, just for creating infrastructure for us? Forget about that - thinking of such dependency isn’t that a clear admission of failure on our part? A child to grow has to start being own  - a country to grow does not need to be on its own? Will India never see it’s home grown brands in top ten retailers list inspite of being second most populated country?

There are many reforms to be done to let the organised retail grow in India - GST, giving industry status etc. Unless we address that, organised retail cannot thrive whether it is Indian or foreigner doing business. Why should not we think of making our retail companies strong before we send them to compete with the big retailers?

It is also difficult to get a sense out of FDI from people advocating FDI as they act only out of vested interest 1) organised retailers are looking for much needed money which they are unable to get from India (the same Kishore Biyani was against FDI in his slight less horrible days. 2) govt is looking to distract people from the coal and other issues and improve image in front on Indian and foreign media. In my view going by the views of these people is a big mistake.

We have had phenomenal increase in price of basic food commodities during this era of modern retail. I don't believe that this is just a coincidence. With foreign retailers coming in who would be looking at capturing market share, we should be prepared for more price rise. (in my view heavy demand from them to fill there racks may put pressure on prices of food items)

While we may feel good seeing good/ air conditioned malls and a pleasant shopping experience. My real worry is whether we are going to see further divide in the ever increasing income gaps in the society due to FDI -making food more and more inaccessible to poor? Are we evaluating that, while we evaluate FDI?

I want to discuss FDI in light of just  this one question . Unless I am not too sure about that, I don’t mind shopping from cramped Kirana store/ inefficient Indian store.

4 comments:

रंजन (Ranjan) said...

We are Hippocrates by nature.. why we allow our companies to go abroad and do business... why we cry when US govt take some decision on out sourcing.... The world has changed in past few decades... the political boundaries has a limited significance... its time to collaborate and grow together...

What about my right to get excellent service from a international multi brand retail.. why I am forced to shop at crowed BIG Bazaar...

there was time when we have to wait for years to get a landline phone... go get a car you have to book it many years in advance... today things are changed because of open economy.. and same thing will happen to other sectors also..

In Indian market there is space for every one.. every one will grow together.... because of many retail chain, the kirana shops are changed... now they also offer product below MRP... they are well organized.. give proper bill.. accepts electronic payments... why they changed? its the big retail store.. that force them to change.. and same will happen with the domestic retails chain when they compete with international store..

Unknown said...

that is my whole worry.. you are worried about shopping experience, phone..I am worried about the people in bottom of pyramids..please speak to them and find out if life is getting simpler or tougher for them..life i mean only food, clothing and shelter..person i spoke did not agree..

if you think FDI will reduce this income gap, I welcome FDI and if not I won't..

today organised is competing from unorganised and is making HUGE losses because they can not match the effeciency of kirana store..no rents, no a/C, no cost overheads and best per square feet sale..as this equation change price will rise..i am still fine with that if the income divide is taken care of...which as of today is not..

my major problem is the dependency mind set...and hence the heading FDI...people say they will come and set up cold storage for us and things like that.. i believe with such weak thoughts a country canno't grow..

If we want to grow we should learn to be on our own..

Ritesh Kumar Singh said...

learning to be on our won is a good idea. There's no doubt about that. But even after allowing FDI in retail...we can be on our own. Besides, consumers have a right to the best possible service, quality and low cost. Only competition will ensure that....kiranas must modernize themselves to become competitive...and they can do that with some help from IT, Govt and NGO. I do with ranjan --- even I don't like to wait in queue at Big bazar or D mart...getting a telephone connection only improved after we allowed competition. Now, India's mobile indsutry has desi (bharti, reliance), Videshi (vodaphone) and sarkari (MTNL) - all operating in open market and beneficiary is consumer.

Unknown said...

we are assuming that good store..good products only possible through big stores..retail only sell products does not produce it..innovation comes from demand, technology ..why to give that credit to large stores..why nobody wants to talk about costs of large retail stores which is ultimately borne by consumers..