Gopal Rice Mill

Newri Vikas Gaon is a bit far out, but it’s a good place for a mill. At Gopal Rice Mill, we stay busy depending on the harvest season. Right now, things are a bit slower, so we spend time fixing the belts and cleaning the huller. The mill is located in Tehsil Newri, surrounded by fields mostly. When the harvest comes in, the whole yard is full of tractors and bullock carts waiting their turn. It gets very loud then, and you have to shout to be heard over the engine. I’ve been working with grain since I was a young man. It’s not easy work, and my back usually aches by the time I close the gate at night. We have a few local men who help with the heavy lifting of the sacks. The floor is always dusty, no matter how much we sweep it. We don't have a fancy storefront because we don't need one. People know where we are. Usually, the farmers sit under the neem tree outside while they wait for their rice to be ready. We talk about the rain and how the crops are doing this year. The machinery needs a lot of looking after, and sometimes parts are hard to get from the city. But we manage to keep things running for the village. It's a basic business, just turning paddy into rice for the people who live here.