Reports E/CTRM Software – To Build or Buy? | Page 49
CTRM for Ags & Softs
Rice
Rice is the primaryfoods staple for more than half the world's population, with Asia and Africa the
largest consuming regions. Given its versatility and high caloric value, rice has been and continues to
be the most commonly consumed grain in almost all developing countries. Rice is the second or third
largest food crop, with corn being the largest; rice production is about the same as wheat.
Overview
Originally a wild plant, rice has been domesticated and cultivated around the world for thousands of years. Believed to
have originated in Asia, rice is a member of the grass family and is found as a number of different species.Rice is
produced worldwide and is the world's second- or third-largest staple crop, behind corn (maize). Rice production, prior to
milling, is about the same as total wheat production.
Given that rice requires significant amounts of water and specific soil types, cultivation is limited to in the amount of arable
land available.As noted by the United States Department of Agriculture, “Economically sound production typically requires
high average temperatures during the growing season, a plentiful supply of water applied in a timely fashion, a smooth
land surface to facilitate uniform flooding and drainage, and a subsoil hardpan that inhibits the percolation of water.”
Four major types of rice are produced worldwide:
Indica,grown primarily in tropical and subtropical regions, is the most widely traded, accounting for approximately
three quarters of all traded rice.
A cooler climate rice, japonica is typically grown in regions farther from the equator, accounting for slightly more
than 10 percent of global rice trade.
The group of rice known as aromatic, including jasmine from Thailand and basmati from India and Pakistan,
accounts for 12-13 percent of global trade. Aromatics are considered to be specialty rice and sell at a premium in
world markets.
Glutinous rice from Southeast Asia, less common as a staple, accounts for the remaining market in rice.
Rice Production
Providing about 20% of the calories consumed by the world’s population and eaten by more than 50% of that, rice is
generally considered to be the most important food crop.Consumed in grain form or used in processed foods, like cereals,
rice consumption continues to rise with the growth in global population.Though widely grown around the world, most of
that production in the largest producing countries is used for domestic consumption.
Rice Production 2014/15 – Milled, 1000 Metric Tons
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
China
144,500
India
105,500
Indonesia 36,300
Bangladesh 34,600
Viet Nam 28,050
Paddy or Rough Rice is the term used to describe the grain as it comes from the field, prior to processing.Except for
rough rice exports and domestic seed sales, rice intended for domestic consumption is milled and sold as a whole kernel
product, as opposed to wheat, which is most commonly sold as a ground flour product.
© Commodity Technology Advisory LLC, 2016, All Right Reserved
48