Andhra: Shrimp and seafood processing providing better income, employment opportunities for women

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 18 : The employment and income for women in Andhra Pradesh have grown vastly in the last decade with the spurt in shrimp farming and processing.
Shrimp processing facilities in Andhra Pradesh have grown from over 20 to over 90 in the last 10 years. The investment in each processing facility averages around 5 million US dollars and the total investment in the processing sector is expected to be over 400 million US dollars.
The employment opportunities have resulted in families investing in their children's education. The employment landscape has changed in the last decade.
Earlier, workers visited factories and lined up for work but now this scenario has changed.
Now factories have a fleet of buses that go out to surrounding villages to get the workers and travel up to 2 hours to bring them to the factory.
With growing volumes, processing facilities have been upgraded, and modern facilities built that are more spacious, with in-house dormitories that are equipped for the comfort and safety of the workers.
A total of 1.2 crore women are working in the shrimp and seafood industry in the entire country.
Non-local workers stay in these dorms for a short duration of 3 to 6 months, then go back to their native towns and then return.
Lakshmi, a woman working in the shrimp and seafood processing unit, said that she is getting good remuneration from her work.

"I have been working here in the shrimp and seafood processing unit for two years. I do peeling and cutting. The salary is good, we get good food along with that medicine and all are also provided by the company when needed," Lakshmi told ANI.
Shrimp processing units have provided employment opportunities for women in rural areas where traditional job opportunities may be limited. These units often employ women in various roles, such as processing, sorting, packaging, and quality control.
Some women in Andhra Pradesh have leveraged their experience and knowledge gained from working in shrimp processing units to start their own small-scale businesses. They may establish enterprises related to food processing, catering, or even shrimp farming, thereby becoming entrepreneurs and leaders in their communities.

"I have been working for the last two years. The majority of women are working in our unit, as there is a good gender sensitivity mechanism in place. We have accommodation available," Devi told ANI.
Overall, shrimp processing in Andhra Pradesh has served as a catalyst for women's empowerment by providing them with employment opportunities, skills development, economic independence, and social empowerment, thereby contributing to more inclusive and resilient rural communities.