Indian Basmati rice is a long aromatic grain that traditionally grows in India, Nepal and Pakistan. The best and largest basmati rice exporters are found in India. It covers more than 70% of the production of rice.
The roots of the word basmati are Sanskrit – vas (aroma) and mayup (ingrained). On the other hand, in the Oxford English Dictionary, Basmati refers to the meaning ‘Fragrant’. The word basmati is spelled differently in various regions and same with writing.
In India, this rice is treated with special reverence and is called the grain of the gods. This is due to the fact that the harvest season coincides with a series of religious ceremonies.
Varieties of Rice
There are several varieties of Indian Basmati rice which is widely consumed all over the world. Such varieties include: Basmati 370, Basmati 385, 1121 basmati and 6465 Extra long-grained basmati. Other Pakistani varieties are: PK385, Kernel basmati and D-98.
In India, the scientists used the conventional plant to produce a hybrid semi-dwarf plant which has a number of features of traditional basmati rice that is known as Pusa-Basmati-1 at Agricultural Research Institute.
Indian basmati rice exporters have all these varieties of rice and produce a high-quality grain and keep the storage pesticide-free.
Different from Regular Rice
Already elongated, during cooking, the basmati becomes twice as long without losing its friability. And a special extra-long variety, grown especially for pilaf, becomes three to four times longer when boiled.
To keep the rice firm and not boiled, it is aged for at least a year, and only then it goes on sale. Basmati also combines surprisingly well with spices and absorbs them perfectly, has a pleasant sweetish aftertaste and delicate aroma.
The main difference between the Indian Basmati rice and regular rice is the lower glycemic index and the abundance of nutrients.
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But in order for rice to open up in all its gastronomic glory, it needs to be cooked correctly.
Mostly, In India it is manually cleaned off dirt, sorting through the rice and discarding the husk, and then poured with cold water so that it covers the grains. Next, the rice is gently but thoroughly mixed to get rid of excess starch.
After that, it must be thoroughly rinsed – several times, under running water, until it becomes transparent, and left in clean water for half an hour.
List of Leading Basmati Rice Exporters
- Rice India Exports Ltd.
- R.P. Exports
- SK Exports
- Dolphin International Ltd.
- Shree Hanuman rice & gen. Mills, and etc.
Basmati rice exporters in India understand the value of food and care for the health of people. They never sacrificed the nutrients of rice or any type of replacement of healthy particles.
This is the reason, India has become the second-highest exporting country and is likely to achieve the threads of dominance in the global rice market soon.
Basmati rice exports varieties
- Traditional Basmati – It is premium in qualitative essence, the traditional effect and aromatic fragrance makes it taste different and authentic.
- PUSA Basmati – Pusa is a mixed variety of Indian basmati rice. After being well cooked it gives a unique taste and the separated grains look delicious.
- 1401 Basmati – This variety is the first ripened rice. 1401 rice has a rich texture and an upgraded version of basmati rice.
- 1121 Basmati – 1121 is a pair of Basmati Rice with various Long Grains of Rice with fine texture, it is known as the “queen of aromas”.
- 1509 Basmati – This variety requires less time of cultivation and has high-yielding production as compared to others. It is the longest grain, along with a non-sticky texture.
- Sugandha Basmati – It provides high aromatic flavour, which is widely appreciable for its slender shape. Moreover, it contains high nutritional value as well.
Do You Know?
In thousand-year-old sacred books and scriptures have a description of Basmati rice.
Conclusion
As per the latest records indication, it has been observed that India’s contribution in world rice trade is gradually increasing day by day.
The basmati rice exporters of India supply higher quality food with least water requirement in cultivation. Simultaneously it is important to extend the sustainable irrigation infrastructure facilities.
The major source of foreign exchange with regards to agriculture is export earnings and Indian basmati rice exporters play a vital role in this. It stabilizes the balance of payment of the country.
The stable destination countries for basmati exports are: Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Kuwait. The growth rates in production have remained positive from the last few decades and it continues to grow over the period.
