Rice

The origins of rice have long been debated. The plant is of such antiquity that the exact time and place of its first development will perhaps never be known. It is certain, however, that for domestication of rice ranks as one of the most important developments in history. Rice has fed more people over a longer time than has any other crop.

Based on archaeological evidence, rice was believed to have first been domesticated in the region of the Yangtze River Valley in China. In 2003, Korean archaeologists claimed to have discovered the world’s oldest domesticated rice. Their 15,000 year old age challenges the accepted view that rice cultivation originated in China about 12,000 years ago.

The earliest remains of the grain in the Indian subcontinent have been found in the Indo-Gangetic plain and date from 7000–6000 BC though the earliest widely accepted date for cultivated rice is placed at around 3000–2500 BC with findings in regions belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization.

Rice farming is considered the largest single use of land for producing food. Thousands of varieties of rice are farmed. Interestingly Rice is eaten by nearly half the world’s population. Did you know Toyota means bountiful rice field and Honda means the man rice field?

India is one of the largest producers and consumers of rice in the world. Rice is a staple food in many parts of India, and it is consumed in various forms like plain boiled rice, biryani, pulao, idli, dosa, and more. India produces more than 100 million tonnes of rice annually, making it the No. 1 exporter of Rice in the world and second-largest producer of rice in the world after China.

The rice grain, commonly called a seed, consists of the true fruit or brown rice (caryopsis) and the hull, which encloses the brown rice. Brown rice consists mainly of the embryo and endosperm. The surface contains several thin layers of differentiated tissues that enclose the embryo and endosperm.