What country did rice originate from?
These findings from archaeology and genetics have been combined to suggest the independent origins of rice cultivation in China and India, followed by the introgression of domestication traits from japonica into proto-indica cultivated plants to result in the establishment of the domesticated indica subspecies (47).
Archaeological evidence of rice cultivation in India suggests that this grain was the basis of India's ancient civilizations, with signs that rice was being used in the valley of the Ganges river as far back as 6500 BC.
Archaelogical finds suggest that a community of early rice growers existed in China as far back as 8000 B.C. Today, rice is cultivated across eastern and southeastern China. More than 90% of China's rice is irrigated and, in some areas, two crops per year can be grown.
The oldest archaeological evidence of rice use by humans has been found in the middle and lower Yangzi River Valley region of China. Phytoliths, silicon microfossils of plant cell structures, from rice have been found at the Xianrendong and Diotonghuan sites and dated to 11 000ā12 000 bc (Zhao, 1998).
The bulk of global rice is classified as Oryza Sativa, a plant species which is believed to have originated in Asia from the Graminaceae (grass) family.
Rice originates in East Asia, tracing back more than 10,000 years ago. The domestication and cultivation of rice spread across the entire Asian continent. Later, it was introduced to the rest of the world.
Unarguably, rice is one of the most cherished main courses in India. It is extensively consumed along with various regional cuisines throughout the country. Be it spicy or sweet, rice finds its way to the dinner table in one way or the other.
Bengaluru: Indian paleo scientists have discovered in a lake called Lahuradewa in Uttar Pradesh, evidence of independent domestication of rice pre-dating established Chinese origins by 800 years. Existing theories state that Chinese first domesticated, and then spread rice to the rest of the world.
New Varieties of Rice
According to the Buddhist monk, Shu Wenying, the Song Emperor Zhengzhong (998-1022), when he learned that Champa rice was drought-resistant, sent special envoys to bring samples back to China.ā
To most of the world, rice connotes Asia and the vast agriculture of Far Eastern river deltas. Indeed, humanity's second major crop is from Asia, and 90 percent of itāthe main source of calories for 2.7 billion peopleāis grown there. But rice is also African.
When did humans first eat rice?
As far back as 2500 B.C. rice has been documented in the history books as a source of food and for tradition as well. Beginning in China and the surrounding areas, its cultivation spread throughout Sri Lanka, and India. It was then passed onto Greece and areas of the Mediterranean.
Wheat grew throughout its ānaturalā region in north and central India. Millets were cultivated in the wheat areas and in the drier districts of Gujarat and Khandesh as well. Cotton, sugarcane, indigo (Indigofera and Isatis species), and opium (Papaver somniferum) were major cash crops.

Slaves may have brought key cash crop with them. In colonial America, slaves from west Africa made many a plantation owner rich by growing a particular high-quality variety of rice.
Despite its long history, the origins of black rice have not been clear. Black rice cultivars are found in locations scattered throughout Asia. However, most cultivated rice (species Oryza sativa) produces white grains, and the wild relative Oryza rufipogon has red grains.
As the most populous country in the world, China also consumes more rice than any other country, with about 154.9 million metric tons consumed in 2021/2022. Following China, India is ranked second with 103.5 million metric tons of rice consumption in the same period.
Rice farming spread far and wide in ancient Southeast Asia, but how it got there has been a mystery. Now, a study of 4000-year-old DNAāa rare find in this regionāsuggests it came with farmers migrating from China, where rice farming originated.
Rice is believed to be first cultivated in southern China or somewhere in eastern Asia 10,000 years ago and introduced to Japan from China or Korea.
In Indian, the yellow rice is called Pulao, but most restaurants and takeouts just call it Indian rice or pilaf.
Basmati, pronounced ['bÉĖsmÉtĢŖiĖ], is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which is traditionally grown in India, Pakistan, and Nepal. As of 2019, India accounted for 65% of the international trade in basmati rice, while Pakistan accounted for the remaining 35%.
While rice use in India probably began in the Gangetic region, the largest body of early evidence we have comes from far to the west in the Indus Civilization region c. 3200ā1500 BC. The evidence for rice use in the Indus Civilization has traditionally been highly contentious. Fuller and Madella (2002, pp.
Did rice come from Africa or China?
The current scientific consensus, based on archaeological and linguistic evidence, is that rice was first domesticated in the Yangtze River basin in China.
The African species of rice (Oryza glaberrima) was cultivated long before Europeans arrived in the continent. At present, O. glaberrima is being replaced by the introduced Asian species of rice, Oryza sativa.
To most of the world, rice connotes Asia and the vast agriculture of Far Eastern river deltas. Indeed, humanity's second major crop is from Asia, and 90 percent of itāthe main source of calories for 2.7 billion peopleāis grown there. But rice is also African.
As the most populous country in the world, China also consumes more rice than any other country, with about 154.9 million metric tons consumed in 2021/2022. Following China, India is ranked second with 103.5 million metric tons of rice consumption in the same period.
The Rice Country
The reason is that Beikoku is a shortening of the Chinese phonetic transliteration of 'America' -äŗē±³å©å . The second character is pronounced mei in the original Chinese but bei in Japanese (this kanji can be read as bei or mei in Japanese).
Jasmine rice is originally from Thailand and is commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking. This is a long grain variety of rice that has a subtle floral aroma and a soft, sticky texture when cooked.
Bengaluru: Indian paleo scientists have discovered in a lake called Lahuradewa in Uttar Pradesh, evidence of independent domestication of rice pre-dating established Chinese origins by 800 years. Existing theories state that Chinese first domesticated, and then spread rice to the rest of the world.
Many Mexican dishes are made with ingredients that were brought from Africa to Mexico. These include rice, plantains, coffee, the tamarind and jamaica for aguas frescas, as well as the sesame seeds used in pipianes. Even watermelons and yams came from Africa.
Rice is unique among wild plants for having been domesticated independently on three continents: Asia, Africa, and now South America, researchers have discovered. The New World variety, tamed about 4000 years ago, apparently was abandoned after Europeans arrived.
Over 90 percent of the world's rice is produced and consumed in the Asia-Pacific Region. With growing prosperity and urbanization, per capita rice consumption has started declining in the middle and high-income Asian countries like the Republic of Korea and Japan.