Importance of Rice and the Varieties Worldwide

Importance of Rice and the Varieties Worldwide

Rice (oryza sativa) is the staple food for about one half of the world’s population. This grain has origins going back to about 3000 B.C in India, and grew along the rivers of the Tigris and Euphrates circumscribing the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia. Rice is the staple food of East and Central Asia, the islands of the western Pacific and much of Latin America. These eastern nations are today the main rice-producing countries; places such as China, India, Japan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Burma. Rice is much more than a grain; it has fueled economies, been subject to science, and traveled the globe due to world trade.

Rice is found all over the world and in thousands of varieties; there are more than 8,000 varieties found in India alone where it all originated, and in one of the smaller rice-producing countries, the Philippines, there are about 3,500 varieties. Some of these well known varieties include basmati (India), sushi rice (Japan) and jasmine rice (Thailand) each having a different consistency and flavor. Basmati rice is very aromatic, both in its dry state and cooked. It has an exotic smell that is very distinct compared to other varieties. Sushi rice is known for its consistency; it very sticky, which is beneficial when making sushi. Jasmine rice, as seen on the plate, is also aromatic but it has a different smell. It has a more floral smell to it, hence the name Jasmine rice.

There are other varieties of wild rice which is altogether a different species (Zizania aquatica). This species is grown in western nations such as the United States and has become a delicacy in markets. It fueled the diets of Native Americans in parts of the Midwest United States. Rice comes in different colors, shapes, lengths, and is grown in different conditions. The harvested rice, which still has the husk around the grain, comes in several different colors including, white, brown, amber, red or black. Some of these varieties are long and slender, while others are short and thick.

The Process of Growing and Harvesting Rice

Rice is grown in tropical, semi tropical and temperate regions; mostly in coastal plains, tidal deltas, and river basins. There needs to be a supply of freshwater because the land needs to be submerged under water.