Just Rice

Prepared by The Food Club’s Technical Department

Overview

 

The domestication of rice ranks as one of the most important developments in the history of food. It has fed more people over a longer period of time than has any other grain and it is the staple food of over half the World's population. Over 1 billion people depending upon it for their sustenance. World-wide the annual production of rice is estimated to be 500 million tonnes with 96% of the World’s production being consumed within the country of origin. The remaining 4% is traded Internationally.

Historical Background

 

Historians believe that rice was grown as far back as 5000 BC and archaeologists in India have discovered rice which could date from 4530 BC. The first literary reference originates from China in 2800 BC when the Emperor Shen Nung established an annual rice ceremony. Nowadays the Chinese specifically dedicate one of the days in their New Year festivities to it.

 

There are about 8000 different varieties and genetic divergence between the South Asian and Chinese forms, commonly referred to today as Indica and Japonica types, is believed to have commenced 2-3 million years ago.

Early Spread of Rice

Migrant peoples from South China or Northern Vietnam carried it to the Philippines during the second millennium BC, and Deutero-Malays carried rice to Indonesia about 1500 BC. From China or Korea, the crop was introduced to Japan about 100 BC

Movement to western India and south to Sri Lanka was also accomplished very early. In Sri Lanka rice was a major crop as early as 1000 BC. The grain may well have been introduced to Greece and neighbouring areas of the Mediterranean by the returning members of Alexander the Great's expedition to India ca. 344-324 BC. From Greece or Sicily, rice spread gradually throughout the southern portions of Europe and to locations in North Africa.

The Portuguese carried it to Brazil, and the Spanish introduced its cultivation to locations in Central and South America. The first American record dates from 1865 when slaves from Madagascar may well have been carried it to South Carolina. Early in the 18th century rice spread to Louisiana but it was not grown in California until the 20th century. About the same time the first successful crop was harvested in Australia's New South Wales.

Main Producing Countries

 

The main rice producing countries are China, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Spain, Thailand, Vietnam and the USA.

Just Rice.Nov2000