RICE grower and former head of the experiment station at the the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, Dr Leigh Vial, has given an insight as to what he sees as the future for rice.
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Australia-grown japonica rice is only 0.1 per cent of world rice production and up to 5 per cent of world trade.
Dr Vial said global rice production and consumption patterns were changing rapidly as climate shifts and some economies grow.
“What is the place for Australian rice in the world?” he said.
“Japonica rice from temperate regions has a different quality to (tropical) indica rice. It has medium grain shape (and) also has softer texture, lower gelatinisation temperature and (unfortunately) higher GI due to its lower amylose content.
Indica varieties are usually higher amylose and harder, but some get close to japonica quality, such as the benchmark IRRI variety IR24, and, for example, recent North Vietnamese lines.
“Australian japonica rice has qualities to set it apart from other japonica rice. It has much better traceability than most rice, due to our industry’s vertical integration, and few major pests and diseases.
“Southern Australian has no rice blast, bacterial leaf blight, brown plant hopper, rice bug, false smut or the like. This allows a minimum of pesticides to be used, particularly late in the season, keeping our grain clean of residues.”
Di Vial said another advantage in growing japonica was final geography.
“We in the southern hemisphere have fresh rice when few others do,” he said.
“Fresh rice really does matter for some consumers, particularly in east Asia.
“Australian japonica rice will always belong in a niche. We are small producers. But our comparative quality advantages: counter-seasonal production, cleanliness and traceability of our rice gives us a niche well worth growing, particularly as Asia gets richer and as others get closer to our grain quality.
“This may demand some reconsideration of the type of value-added product we develop and produce, to secure and enhance that niche in future, particularly in Asia where demand for value-added rice should increase.
“In time, SunRice packs in east Asia should tell you where the rice was grown and when it was harvested and milled to quantify its freshness. Also, a truly low-GI and soft-texture product will be necessary to help our Asian middle class consumers avoid or lessen type two diabetes.
“True, selling rice to Asians sounds like selling ice to Eskimos, but Australian rice has a niche, a niche that SunRice will explore and exploit.”