Rice is the world’s largest food source. These eight workers are helping feed the world.
1 December 2023 — Issue 10: Trust
Pakistan
POPULATION
236 million
ANNUAL RICE PRODUCTION
8.8 million tons
ANNUAL RICE CONSUMPTION
15.3 kg per person
Sakhawat Ali, 34
Rice packer, Muridke, Pakistan
I started working in rice packaging in 2010-2011. I initially joined to support a friend who injured his leg and couldn’t pick up the heavy loads. Packing and loading rice is a laborious task, but I enjoy the physical activity despite the dirt and sweat.
I live with my wife, our three daughters and two sons, and with my parents, four brothers and their families. My youngest is 3 months old and the oldest is 11.5 years old.
Our home is four kilometers from the city and two kilometers from the private rice packaging mill, which means I walk four kilometers to and from work each day.
I get paid daily depending on the number of rice sacks we fill and load, each weighing around 40 kilograms. The process involves filling the sack for 5 Pakistani rupees (PKR, $0.017), stitching it for PKR 3, and loading it for PKR 5, totaling PKR 13 ($0.046) per sack. There are two filling methods — one from a machine and the other manually. The manual filling pays PKR 3 more per sack. October and November are our busiest months and allow us to earn a little more.
I earn around PKR 1,000 to 1,500 ($3.52 to $5.29) per day, depending on workload and demand. Of course, it is not enough. Due to rising inflation, it is nearly impossible for me to manage expenses with this income. Our wages decrease while the cost of living remains high. Even though I play a vital role in the rice industry, I cannot afford to eat good quality rice. We buy it sparingly, around 10 to 20 kilograms for the whole family.
I receive my pay weekly, whereas my brother, a welder, earns a fixed monthly salary of PKR 40,000 ($140). My friends in different professions earn PKR 10,000 to 15,000 more than me with fixed monthly salaries. I have been asked by my friends and family to seek greener pastures abroad, but I’m hesitant due to loans and fear of ridicule if I can’t return.
Pakistani rice is renowned globally for its quality. Varieties like Super, 1509, Kainat, Super fine, 386, etc. are exported worldwide, each with distinct cooking properties. After harvest, the crop is brought to the mill where it is dried, steamed and processed. The various rice types are sorted, ensuring only high-quality white rice reaches the market. Broken rice is often consumed by people like me who can’t afford better quality, while rice powder serves as feed or fertilizer. I hope our agriculture thrives and the rice industry is prosperous. Laborers like me take pride in delivering the best quality rice to people’s tables. — as told to Annam Lodhi
