For thousands of years, rice has been a staple food crop for civilizations all over the world. Since time immemorial, major civilizations- from China to India, Japan to the United States- have consumed rice as a part of their daily meals. This love for rice has easily transcended into the modern world, and with globalization making the world more accessible, the popularity of rice has only soared.
And if there’s a favorite among perhaps the world’s favourite foodgrain, it is definitely Basmati.
Basmati rice is a type of rice grown in India and Pakistan known for its beautiful aroma and long length. 65 % of the global production is done in India, while around 35 % is grown in Pakistan. Always famous in the Indian Subcontinent, Basmati’s popularity has rapidly grown in the western hemisphere as well.
Sometimes called The King of Rice Grains, Basmati is used to make some absolutely delicious dishes. These include scrumptious meals like Biryani, Jollof, Fried Rice, Chicken Schezwan rice or even yummy desserts like the Kheer.
With a lower Glycemic Index than other rice varieties such as Instant White Rice and Jasmine rice, basmati is also better suited for diabetics.
Like many Indian varieties of Rice, Basmati is grown by traditional methods in paddy fields. Cultivated mostly in the northern plains, Basmati requires an even distribution of rainfall, and has an ideal temperature of 20 to 38 degrees. Soils that hold water well- such as clay loam-are excellent for growing Basmati. Hence countries like Indonesia and Sri Lanka also grow some Basmati. It’s armatic property also makes it popular as a flavouring agent in bakery products across the US and Europe.
The popular aromatic rice is also a major product that is exported from the above asian countries. In 2015-16, India exported 3.4 Billion USD worth of basmati. In 2018-19, 4.4 Million metric tonnes of the grain was exported. Major importers include Australia, Canada, United states and Europe.
With the western market for basmati growing at stunning speeds, its export and import has become a very attractive industry for entrepreneurs all over the world. A number of exporters of Basmati rice have popped up to make use of this opportunity. The industry is on the rise, and with the increasing popularity of the grain, the king of rice grains is here to rule for a long time.
