Ujyalla Farmers Producer Company Limited

You can find us in Tahajang, which is in the Gumma area near Parlakhemundi. We are at House No. 5 in Ward 2. It’s a bit of a trek to get out here, but it’s a nice part of Gajapati. This company was formed by a group of farmers from around the Kasinagar block. We realized that if we didn't work together, we wouldn't have much of a chance against the bigger players. So, we started this producer company to help each other out. We don't have any big corporate goals; we just want to buy our supplies cheaper and sell our crops for a better price. It sounds simple, but the actual work of coordinating everyone is pretty tough. We spend a lot of time sitting around on plastic chairs talking about rain and prices. The paperwork for the government is a bit of a nightmare sometimes, but we manage to get through it. Our office is small and usually has bags of seeds or samples sitting in the corner. We aren't looking to expand across the whole country; we just want to do right by the farmers in our own neighborhood. It’s a community thing more than anything else. We’ve all known each other for years, so the business is built on those old relationships. It’s just how things work out here in the rural parts of Orissa. We do our best and hope for a good season.