Write 5 Economic Importance of Rice.

India is the second-largest country in terms of people and the seventh-largest country in terms of land in South Asia. The Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean encircle it on three sides. The Indian subcontinent has always been a significant hub for international trade. Another benefit was the huge availability of natural resources. Due to the aforementioned factors plus the extensive coastline, it became a significant location for trade. Spices from India and other products grown there had a sizable market in the European nations. India has traditionally had a strong reliance on the agriculture industry. The country’s fertile land aids in the cultivation of a variety of crops.

Rice Cultivation in India

One of the main crops farmed in India is rice. It is a staple crop for food. Since rice is a tropical crop, it needs a hot, humid atmosphere for the plant to thrive properly. The Kharif crop group includes the rice plant. When compared to other crops, rice requires a considerable amount of water for cultivation. It is grown in regions where there is a lot of water availability because of the high water requirement. In the eastern and southern regions of the nation, rice is a common food. The production of rice has long been crucial to the nation’s economy. India is currently the world’s second-largest rice producer. The amount of rice produced in the most recent fiscal year was close to 120 million tonnes. The northeastern, delta, and coastal regions of the nation are where rice is farmed.

Economic Importance of Rice

• Flaked rice is widely used in dishes people make as it is a rich source of carbohydrates. Flaked rice is an alternate name given to flattened parboiled rice.
• Many alcoholic beverages are prepared by using fermented rice. One of the most common and popular alcoholic beverages made by fermentation of rice is Sake. (mostly broken rice is used for this process)
• when rice is grown it is grown with a proper coat of protection over it and to achieve the state in which we eat it, rice undergoes multiple layers of processing removing the protective layer and polishing the rice grain. The discarded coating is known as Bran. Bran can be used by cattle grazers to feed their animals. 
• The husk generated by this crop and be used in the process of brickmaking and can even be used as a fuel.
• The Bran which is obtained by the above process is rich in oil content. Bran can be used to extract edible oil from it and this oil is even used in the leather and textile industry. 
• Bran oil also acts as a cooling medium like corn or cotton seed oil.
• Bran oil is even used to make vanaspati(a cheaper alternative to ghee).
• When the oil is extracted from Bran we are left with a waxy by product. This is known as Bran wax. Bran wax is widely used in the manufacturing of lipsticks and the chocolate industry.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Que 1. Explain the rice production of India.

Answer –

India is currently the world’s second-largest rice producer. The amount of rice produced in the most recent fiscal year was close to 120 million tonnes. 

Que 2. Which state has the highest rice production in the complete country?

Answer –

Amongst all the states in India the highest rice production is from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Que 3. List the use of Bran.

Answer –

Bran can be used to feed the cattle. It can be used to extract Bran oil and Bran wax from it which have numerous applications in various industries.

Que 4. Where is Bran wax used?

Answer –

Bran wax is a by product obtained during the extraction of Bran oil. It is widely used in the cosmetic industry and during chocolate making.  

 Que 5. List some of the health benefits of Rice.

Answer –

There are various health benefits of rice some of the most prominent are to maintain healthy weight, brown rice helps prevent chromic diseases, it is easy to digest and is gluten free.