Species of Thai rice : Thailand is located on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Due to the geographical location of Thailand, which is close to the sea, the country generally has a temperate weather and has very good climatic conditions.
In the central areas you can see green rice paddies. The western and eastern parts of Thailand are also often full of orchards, rubber trees, green forests and white sandy beaches. Myanmar and Laos are bordered on the east by Laos and Cambodia, on the west by Burma, and on the south by Malaysia and the Gulf of Thailand.
Thailand ranks second after India with a 21% share of world rice exports. More than 80% of Thailand’s rice exports are white rice, jasmine rice and semi-boiled rice.
In this article, we intend to introduce the types of Thai rice, which is one of the most prominent products in this country.
Thai Rice HOM MALI
Mali Home Rice is classified as Indica (Long Grain) by names of “Jasmine Rice” and “Fragrant Rice”. The grain is long and narrow, semi-transparent and at the same time hard with a slight content of gypsum, silky surface, smooth and shiny. The texture of rice after cooking is soft and shiny with a fragrant and natural aroma.
Humali Thai rice is a high quality crop that can be grown only once a year and only in the northern and northeastern regions of Thailand and with the favorable weather conditions of these parts. The main growing season of Mali Rice is between September and December.
This rice is sold all over the world and the demand for it is increasing every year. Over a quarter of Thailand’s rice exports are HOMMALI rice, accounting for about 12 to 14 percent of the world’s annual rice exports.
Thai white rice
Thai white rice is also classified as indica (long grain). After cooking, the seeds separate and are light and fluffy. White rice is grown all over the country, but the most popular region is central Thailand. Unlike jasmine rice, white rice can be grown two or three times a year.
Thai white rice, which is an inexpensive type of Thai rice, is in demand by consumers around the world and is widely traded in global markets. This type of rice accounts for 55 to 60% of all rice in world trade.
White rice is graded in proportion to the presence of broken rice in it, so that cheaper varieties have higher amounts of broken grain rice.
The main markets for white rice exports are Asia and Africa.
Half-boiled rice (Paraboil) Thai
Semi-boiled rice (paraboil) is rice that is cooked in the crust. Parboil rice is produced in a special pre-milling process in which the rice cluster are soaked, steamed under pressure, and dried before milling. Half-boiling simplifies the processing of rice by hand, improves its nutritional properties and changes its texture. The semi-boiling process induces vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, especially thiamine, from bran to grain, so that semi-boiled white rice is 80% nutritionally similar to brown rice.
This type of rice is characterized by its yellowish color. Half-boiled rice needs more time to cook and is firmer and less sticky after cooking.
The main markets for parboiled rice are Africa and the Middle East, which account for approximately 14 to 18 percent of the world’s total rice exports.
Thailand ranks second in semi-boiled rice exports after India.
Thai gluten free rice
Gluten-free rice is also known as sticky or sweet rice. Its unique feature is the creamy color.
This type of rice is mostly grown in the north and northeast of Thailand, where most locals consume sticky rice as their main food. Sticky rice is also used in desserts, sweets and other popular foods.
Thai gluten-free rice is popular in Thailand and is widely consumed domestically due to its relevance to many parts of Thai culture. In addition, it is sold in the export sector to neighboring Thailand, China, the United States and Japan.
Brown rice or Thai cargo
Thai cargo rice, also known as brown rice, is high in nutrients because the bran layer is not polished and the nutrients remain on the bran.
Grinding brown rice removes both the husk and the bran layer. Through the milling process, brown rice is turned into white rice. As a result, in brown rice, only the skin peels off and the bran layer remains. Due to the presence of bran, brown rice is high in fiber, B vitamins, carbohydrates and protein, which is also called cargo rice.
Broken rice
Broken rice is a type of rice that is composed of broken grains in the milling process. It is suitable for many types of cooking or food processing and its benefits are like whole grain rice.
Thailand annually exports 1.1 to 1.5 million tons of broken rice, which is used for animal feed and rice flour production. China and Africa are the main consumers of this rice
Thai Pathomani Aromatic Rice
Pathomani Thai Aromatic Rice is a new type of aromatic rice and the second type of aromatic rice produced in Thailand. It has a similar appearance and texture to Thai HOMMALI rice with an authentic natural aroma and its aroma is lighter than Jasmine rice. This type of rice is classified in the category of Thai white rice. Advantages such as less sensitivity to sunlight and better performance compared to Thai HOMMALI rice make it a good alternative to aromatic rice.
