It is a well-known fact that India is an agricultural country. By this, it is meant that the main livelihood of the population is dependent on agriculture for subsistence. Most of the population of India lives in the rural setup. That population accounts for about 67% of the total population. So it definitely ensures that most of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihood.
Just as India is a diverse country in its culture and religion, so also the agriculture of India is diverse. India is a country that is noted for the wide variety of crops that it grows exports and supplies. India is that famed land from where many cultivars of rice come from.
Cultivars Of Rice
The varieties of rice are known as the cultivars of rice. There are many species of rice but the most popular and widely eaten variety is the Asian rice. It is the most commonly grown rice in the world.
The two most important subspecies of rice are indica and japonica. But the most interesting fact is that there are over 40,000 varieties of Asian rice with India leading as the biggest rice-growing nation in the world. If a list of the rice varieties grown in India is to be mentioned here, it would be endless because every region in itself has so many varieties that it is a huge list.
Production Of Rice In India
Rice is the staple diet of the majority of Indians. That is why rice production is one of the chief occupations of the people of India and it accounts for the fact that it is widely cultivated. India is the second-largest producer of rice and the largest exporter of grain. The production of the grain stands at 120 million tonnes today.
Being the main grain of the country and the staple food of all Indians, it is the most widely cultivated crop today. Its cultivation is possible because the crop is a tropical crop and the climate of India is favourable being a tropical country. The climate of India is hot and humid and the conditions are just optimum for its cultivation.
Classification Of Rice
Rice can be widely classified into two varieties. They are namely:
• Basmati rice
• Non-basmati rice
What Is Non Basmati Rice
Any rice variety that does fall under the basmati variety of rice is termed as non-basmati rice. In fact, non-basmati rice accounts for 99% of the total production of rice in India. The other 1% is the basmati variety.
The non basmati rice has so much diversity because of the vast varieties of rice that are found in this category. These varieties come in multiple shapes and sizes, with some being very long and thin, while some are short and stocky in nature. There are yet others that have a bead-like appearance while some others are round in shape. Variety is the keyword here.
How To Understand The Difference Between Basmati And Non-Basmati Rice
The basmati and the non basmati rice have some characteristic differences that can help one to understand the differences in variety. The first difference is the aroma. The basmati rice has a distinct fragrance that the non basmati variety does not have.
While both the categories have long and slender varieties, yet while cooking one will immediately realize basmati rice from non basmati rice. Some of the non basmati rice either has a pleasant fragrance while some are only long and slender in shape. But the basmati variety is both long and slender with the pleasing aroma that can tingle anyone’s nose and make them want more.
Health Benefits Of Non-Basmati Rice
Although rice is the staple diet of almost the entire global community, yet this grain does have low health benefits. It poses a threat for diabetics all around the world. It is mainly composed of carbohydrates and little amount of protein.
The wholegrain rice is beneficial over the refined variety because that variety is milled and stripped of the essential nutrients that are found in the outer layers like the bran and the germ leaving it with only the endosperm. That is why today’s refined rice is enhanced with additional nutrients before they are sold.
This variety of rice is more beneficial for the health when it is consumed whole, which means it does not come refined. It is mainly good for older people as well as young children because it is very easy on the digestive system.
Most families would inevitably choose this variety because it gives a lot of energy that is derived from the high carbohydrate content in it. It also helps in giving relief for stomach disorders like diarrhoea, dysentery and colitis.
Nutrients In Non-Basmati Rice
The nutrients that are found in rice are:
• Calories – 344
• Protein – 6.7 grams
• Fat – 0 grams
• Carbohydrates – 77.8 grams
• Fibre – 0 grams
• Iron – 4.5% of the daily value
• Niacin – 0 mg
• Vitamin C – 0 mg
• Calcium – 0 mg
Overall though rice is not good for some, yet it is the most commonly consumed food all around the world and non-basmati rice has an ample number of suppliers. Even there are a good many Non basmati rice Indian Exporters who are taking the name of India to places globally.
