Quality Rice

We are out in Mahindra Gram, which is in the Uttar Dinajpur district. Our place is called Quality Rice. It’s a bit of a trek to get out here if you aren't from the area. The surroundings are mostly fields, which makes sense for what we do. We buy rice from the local growers and get it ready for sale. The building is basically a large shed with high ceilings. When the rain hits the metal roof, you can’t hear yourself think. We have big piles of golden grain waiting to be processed. Most of the people working here live just down the road. It’s a small community and everyone knows what everyone else is doing. We don’t have a website or any of that stuff. We just rely on people knowing where we are in Mahindra Gram. The work is physical and you end the day feeling it in your back. We use old scales that have been here since the beginning. They still work fine, so there is no reason to change them. Sometimes the electricity goes out and we have to wait around or use flashlights to see what we are doing. It’s just the way things are in this part of Uttar Dinajpur. We take the rice as it comes and we do our best to keep the bags moving out to the markets. It’s a quiet life, mostly, except for the sound of the trucks.