The history of Rice is obscure. However the existence of the wild rice has provided sufficient proof that the cultivated rice plant originated somewhere in the area between Indo-China. Rice Spread into Japan by China as early as 100 B.C.
Rice advanced westward from India to Iran, Iraq, Turkistan and Egypt. It was introduced into Europe from India by Alexander the Great in AD 300. but it was not cultivated there until about A.D 700. It was taken to Spain by Moors in A.D.711. In the United States of America, the Virginia colonists experimented with rice production as early as 1622 but without marked success. Rice in USA was first produced commercially in South Carolina in 1685.
Rice is an important food staple of the people of the world. Asia is the greatest producer and consumer of rice where 90 percent of the total world produce is produced and used. Rice contributes to about 21 percent of total calorice intake.
The Department of Agriculture estimates that 43 countries of the world depend upon wheat as principal source of calories, 16 upon rice, 14 on corn, 6 on Casava and 8 on the remaining Sorted Staple.
According to one estimates 53.7 percent of the world population depends on Rice, 35.5 percent on Wheat, 3.7 percent on Corn and the rest on Sorghum and Millet, Casava, Potatoes, seff and Banana e.t.c.
All over the world Rice and Wheat are main principal food staples. These two staples together constitute 41% of the world average caloric intake as against Pakistan where these constitute 55-72% of the total caloric intake.
At the international level, a man out of his daily energy calories requirements gets about 21.2 percent from Rice 19.6 percent from Wheat 5.4 percent from maize 4.1 percent from Millets, 4.9 percent from Potato and the arrest from fruits, vegetables, sugar, fats and animal products.
In Pakistan the average per day intake of these calories is about 39.2 percent from rice 31 percent from wheat, 2.5 percent from maize 2.2. percent from Jowar and Bajri and 24 percent from other sources.
There is thus no doubt that people in Pakistan averagely by derive 18.0 percent Rice and 12.5 percent. What more in their diets as compared to international Standard, similarly in case of Fruit, Vegetables, Sugar, fats and animal products e.t.c. a Pakistani is getting only from 24 percent of the total calories intakes against 44.8 percent of the International Standards.
With regard to energy supply from various types of food averagely a man derives 1.2 percent from Rice, 19.6 percent from Wheat and 5.4 percent from corn.
Pakistan has certain unusual advantages for efficient rice production because of long, hot land cloud free sunny days throughout the growing season, little or no rainfall but abundant water supplies from surface and Sub-Surface irrigation and levelled heavy soils, wall adopted to rice production of good qualities of rice. The dry hot weather limits losses from the plant diseases and insect problems that so seriously effect in other areas.
The role of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority, Standards Development Centre cannot be ignored and needed to be of help if taken in account for the betterment of our masses.
The Standardisation of Rice is the main task of the cereal Pulses & their products Sectional Committee of PSQCA, SDS comprising of Experts from public private and government sector of this industry, providing information and advice in the form of standard specifications. The Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority, Standards Development Centre, established National Standard on quality and grade of Pakistan Rice grown in country and exported as PS: 3342 - 1993 for Rice.
Everyone knows that national Standards are being formulated to over some tariff and trade barriers the purpose of Pakistan Standard is to provide a guarantee to health and hygiene to the consumers, there are in a constant state of evaluation depending on the requirement of industrial technology, consumer economy and public health.
Development of new Standards should also reflect nutritional considerations rather than traditional sensory qualities.