Sardar Rice

This is Samsul Haque Sardar’s place in Uttar Durgapur. We are out in the Jaynagar area, near Mojilpur. It’s a quiet spot compared to the city, but we stay busy with the rice. The business is run from our own premises. We have a storage area where we keep the bags before they get sent out. Most of the rice comes from the local fields right around here. We know the farmers personally. It’s a small family operation. My kids sometimes help out with the bags when they aren't in school. We don't have any big machines, just some basic tools for weighing and stitching the sacks. The weather is a big factor for us; if it’s too humid, we have to be careful about the storage. We spend a lot of time just checking the moisture. It’s honest work and it keeps us connected to the land. People usually call ahead or just drop by if they see the gate open. We don't have a big sign out front, everyone in the village knows where the Sardar family is. Sometimes we sit outside under the tree when it’s slow. We don't do any big marketing. We just sell what we have and people seem to be okay with that. It’s been this way for years and we don't plan on changing much. Just daily work in the village. We like the pace here.