A workshop was organised by APEDA jointly with ISARC on ‘Profiling of Potential Varieties of Non-Basmati Rice and Value-Added Products of Rice’, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said on Monday.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, jointly with IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), showcased the outcome of two pioneering research projects.

These projects were Comprehensive Grain and Nutritional Quality Profiling of Non-Basmati Rice, and Value-Added Products from Rice and Rice-Based Food Systems.

Comprehensive Grain and Nutritional Quality Profiling of Non-Basmati Rice focuses on identifying high-quality aromatic, nutrient-rich rice low glycemic index (GI) varieties with geographical indication (GI) tag germplasm from various Indian states.

Value-Added Products from Rice and Rice-Based Food Systems is a project aimed at creating innovative, healthier rice-based products like nutrient-dense rice muesli, whole grain rice cookies, popped rice, rice flakes, and instant upma.

Notably, these significant projects, supported by APEDA, are conducted at the state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence in Rice Value Addition lab at IRRI’s South Asia Regional Centre in Varanasi.

During the event, IRRI presented the profiling of potential non-basmati rice varieties across India and showcased value-added products with global market potential.

Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Rajesh Agrawal in his keynote address acknowledged and appreciated the joint efforts of APEDA and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for coming up with the focused research on the potential varieties of Non-Basmati Rice.

He emphasised that this joint initiative has huge potential, and the identified varieties of non-basmati rice not only possess significant export potential but also have health benefits such as low glycaemic index and is climate resilient.

Agrawal further drew attention to the value addition and branding of the non-basmati rice varieties for tapping into the export potential and marketability of these varieties.

APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev shared some insights on the importance of the rice industry in India, the need for value addition, and research to improve sustainability and global competitiveness.

He stressed upon a starting point for developing strategies for increasing rice exports and rice-based products.

The Chairman also appreciated ISARC’s efforts, stating, “These projects not only respond to the growing demand for healthier food options but also capitalise on traditional rice varieties to create value-added products.”