Explained: What is parboiled rice, and why Center wants to stop purchasing it

What is the News?

Telangana Chief Minister has staged a dharna demanding a uniform paddy procurement policy. This protest came after the Center said it was stopping the purchase of excess Parboiled Rice of which Telangana is a major producer. 

What is Parboiled Rice?

The dictionary meaning of ‘parboil’ is ‘partly cooked by boiling’. Thus, the expression parboiled rice refers to rice that has been partially boiled at the paddy stage before milling. 

Parboiling of rice is not a new practice and has been followed in India since ancient times. 

However, there is no specific definition of parboiled rice by the Food Corporation of India or the Food Ministry.

Are all rice varieties suitable for parboiling?

Generally, all varieties can be processed into parboiled rice, but it is ideal to use long slender varieties to prevent breakage during milling. However, aromatic varieties should not be parboiled because the process can make them lose their aroma.

What are the benefits and disadvantages of parboiled rice?

Benefits of Parboiled Rice: 1) Parboiling makes rice tougher. This reduces the chances of the rice kernel breaking during milling, 2) Parboiling increases the nutrient value of the rice, 3) Parboiled rice has a higher resistance to insects and fungi and 4) Loss of B-vitamins is less in parboiled rice compared to that in raw rice.

Disadvantages of Parboiled Rice: a) The rice becomes darker and may smell unpleasant due to prolonged soaking, b) Parboiled rice takes more time to cook to the same degree of softness than raw rice and c) Setting up a parboiling rice milling unit requires a higher investment than a raw rice milling unit.

About the demand for Parboiled Rice

The Food Ministry pegs the parboiled rice demand at 20 LMT per annum for distribution under the National Food Security Act, 2013.

However, the demand for parboiled rice from Telangana has come down in recent years as the production in parboiled rice-consuming states such as Jharkhand, Kerala and Tamil Nadu has increased.

Source: This post is based on the article “Explained: What is parboiled rice, and why Center wants to stop purchasing it” published in Indian Express on 18th April 2022.