Sri Venkateshwara Modern Rice Mill

Our mill is over at number 89 in Ettiyampatti, which is part of Peddanaikan Palayam. It’s a rural area, so we are surrounded by fields. The mill is quite a large structure because we need the room for the big cleaning and hulling machines. Even though it's called a modern mill, we still do a lot of things the old-fashioned way. We have a crew of about ten people who manage the different stages of the rice processing. During the harvest months, we are working almost around the clock. You’ll see tractors and small trucks lined up outside the gates waiting to unload. The smell of raw rice is everywhere here. We don't have a fancy office or a place for visitors to sit. It’s a working mill, so there is always movement and noise. We spend a lot of time checking the machines to make sure they aren't breaking the grains too much. It’s a bit of a technical job but mostly it’s about paying attention. We stack the finished bags in a big warehouse area at the back. It’s a simple operation without any corporate layers. We deal directly with the people who grow the crop and the people who buy it in bulk. Most of our days are spent in dusty clothes, making sure the equipment stays running. We just focus on the work right in front of us.