Buyer’s Guide to buying rice from wholesale suppliers around the world
Rice is one of the most widely consumed foods in the world and ranks third in worldwide production. With a bang in the digital world, the industry attracting more and more profits is the rice industry. As this staple food consumption is high, it is evident that local rice production is not enough in most places. Hence to meet the demands, rice is imported from other countries, and therefore, a lot of entrepreneurs are stepping into this profit-making industry.
India is the second-largest consumer and the largest exporter of rice. Many Indian rice wholesale suppliers are already into this industry, and more wholesale suppliers are trying to lay their feet in the market. But it is quite important to be completely aware of this business, especially in terms of the quality, cost, and demand. A lot of entrepreneurs have suffered huge losses because of inexperience and mainly due to lack of awareness. Some of the basic points to look into before purchasing rice are being discussed in this article.
Know your Rice – The staple food
- Cultivation of rice – environmental factors play an essential role in the cultivation of rice. As rice requires a bit more water than other cereals, high rainfall areas are most suited for its cultivation. The cultivation process starts with planting the seedlings into water paddies. A rice plant takes at-least five months to mature, which is then harvested either manually or with a harvester’s help.
- Varieties of rice – rice has approximately 40,000 different varieties. Each type has the characteristic that distinguishes it from others. Some of the basic characteristics that the importers and exporters analyse include colour, length of the grain, texture, and aroma. The Indian rice wholesale suppliers analyze these details carefully as India is one of the largest rice exporters.
Some of the common types of rice are:-
- Brown rice
- Black rice
- Basmati rice
- Arborio rice
- Jasmine rice
- Red cargo rice
- Parboiled rice
- Long grain rice
- Short grain rice
- Sticky rice
- Valencia rice
- Sushi rice
- Wild rice
- Calrose
Let’s dig a bit into each type of rice.
Brown rice: – the rice is rich in nutrients like phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and fiber as compared to other white rice. Brown rice is the new white rice but is brown.
Black rice:- as the name suggests, the color of this type of rice is black and sometimes called forbidden rice or black rice. It is black due to the presence of antioxidants.
Basmati rice:- this is an Indian type with long grains as its key feature. It is also rich in aroma and is widely consumed in India. In fact, basmati rice has different sub-varieties. Indian Basmati rice is one of the largest exported varieties by Indian rice wholesale suppliers.
Arborio rice:- it is an Italian variety of rice. It contains more starch as compared to other types and hence gets a creamy texture after being cooked.
Jasmine rice:- it is a type of long-grain aromatic rice. It is slightly shorter in length than basmati rice but more aromatic. The origin of this rice lies in Thailand and is also known as Thai fragrant rice.
Red cargo rice: Thr rice is a type of unpolished, gluten-free rice similar to brown rice. The grains of this variety are red, but they can be purple and maroon. It is a Thai variety and is also called red rice.
Parboiled rice:- this type of rice is one that is partially boiled in the husk. Before getting packed, the rice goes through a three-step process – soak, steam, and dry. Since this rice is partially boiled, it takes comparatively less time to cook it.
Long grain rice:- the length of these grains is approximately five times their width. The specialty of this type of rice is that the grains remain fluffy after being cooked. The longer the grains, the fluffier it will be.
Short grain rice: Unlike the long grain rice, the length of this type of rice is approximate twice its width. It gets a sticky texture after being cooked and is mainly used in different sushi dishes.
Sticky rice:- the name says it all as this rice is sticky in nature. It is due to the presence of polysaccharide amylose in it. It is also called sweet rice and is glutinous. It is one of the widely used ingredients in Asian dishes.
Valencia rice:- it is a Spanish variety and gets its name from a province Valencia in Spain. It is sometimes called bomba rice as the grains are short and round. The flavors are skillfully blended in it because of the high amount of absorption of water.
Sushi rice:- this is a bowl of short-grain white rice and is glutinous in nature. It is widely used in sushi in Japan and is therefore called sushi rice.
Wild rice:- it grows in the Great Lakes region of North America and is a type of grass. It is called wild rice because it shows the basic qualities of rice. But it is rich in proteins and antioxidants as compared to actual rice.
Calrose: This type of variety is founded in California, and its length ranges from short to medium. It is also sticky in nature and is mainly used in stews and soups.
Essential points for purchasing rice
It is crucial to consider the following points for bulk purchasing of rice either from Indian rice wholesale suppliers or the suppliers around the world:-
- Laws regarding import/export – before investing in any kind of business, it is important to know its laws. Every place has some differences in the laws regarding import or export. The supplier and the customer need to be sure to comply with the norms related to imports/ exports of bulk purchases.
- Quality of rice to be imported – before setting foot in the rice market, the entrepreneur must analyze the type of demand and the consumer market. A thorough analysis and research are necessary before investing in this million-dollar market.
- Search for suppliers – in this digital era, entrepreneurs need not wander around looking for suppliers. Searching on the internet will not save time and increase the chances of finding more and more suppliers.
- Sample purchase – after finding a suitable supplier, an order of samples need to be placed. Before getting into bulk order, it is better to examine the samples first.
- Storage – for storing bulk rice, a proper storage system is required. The storage system must meet all the factors important to maintaining the quality of rice.
- Market – having a ready to purchase market will reduce the storage space and be economical for the entrepreneur. Storing for a longer period of time results in extra storage space and maintenance costs.
To conclude, it is important to study the rice industry before investing in it. High-profit figures attract many, but without proper analysis, it can result in high loss.
The b2b model has helped the new entries in the market. Now, exporting and importing has become easier and much more secure than ever. Global Trade Plaza sets the best example. The b2b platform helps the exporters advertise well and increase the reach to the world’s targeted region. Further, the dedicated team also creates digital print to meet the current expectation of buyers and sellers. The ever-changing world of production and consumption is switching rapidly to technology. Understanding the same would be the best recommended move.
