National Fruit Agency

National Fruit Agency is right in the thick of things at T/A-120 in the Anna Fruit Market. Koyambedu is a place that never really sleeps, but for us, the real work starts at three or four in the morning. That’s when the trucks start rolling in from the farms. It is loud, cold, and dark, but the market is full of lights and people shouting. Our stall is just a designated space filled with crates of whatever is in season. Right now, it’s mostly mangoes and bananas piled up high. We don't have a plush office or even a proper door, just the rolling shutter and some wooden benches. We spend the morning haggling with buyers and making sure the fruit is moved quickly before the sun gets too hot. By noon, we’re usually exhausted and covered in a bit of grit from the market floor. We've been at this for a long time, and we know all the other agents by name. We share a pot of tea and talk about the prices and the weather. There is no mission statement or fancy goals here. We just try to get good fruit and sell it for a fair price so we can come back and do it again tomorrow. It’s a chaotic way to live, but the energy of Koyambedu gets into your blood. We close up when the crates are empty and go home.