India is the world’s largest exporter of rice, exporting 9.8 million metric tons as of 2018-19.
There are over 40,000 different varieties of rice cultivated throughout the world.
There are around 6,000 different varieties of rice cultivated in India.
Except for Antarctica, Rice is grown on every continent and is the staple diet of more than half the world population.
In its natural form, rice is gluten-free. It is also low in fat content.
65% of the overseas Basmati rice market gets its rice from India while Pakistan exports the rest.
Cooked rice expands to thrice its original weight. 70% of the total weight of cooked rice is water.
The IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) is located in Los Baños, Philippines and is dedicated to improving the lives of rice farmers and consumers globally.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated the IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on 29th December 2018; in an attempt to work towards increasing the income of farmers.