There is today great opposition to the opening of Walmart chain of retail outlets in India. It is opposed in the name of retailers, forgetting the fact that the individual small retailers are a vanishing tribe. Who goes to small retailing today in Kerala? It is those who are unskilled and unschooled. Only persons who cannot land a job turn to the small retail trade. It will take decades to eliminate such individual retailers even if the department store culture grows at a fast rate. Therefore, there is no danger to small retailers by the entry of Walmart. On the other hand, India can benefit from the move. The Walmart chain will link Indian products to the world chain and more of Indian products will be sold in the US than US products in India. The cold chain that Walmart will establish will do away with the decay of vegetables, fruits, fish, etc., and make retail prices decline without affecting the prices received by the farmers. The Walmart example will inspire the formation of Indian Walmarts. Eventually, Indian chain stores will start operating abroad benefiting farm prices in India.
