Basmati Rice

Basmati is contracted on variety, average grain length after cooking, and how long the paddy was aged. Aged rice cooks drier and separates better, which is the whole point for a pilaf or biryani application.

Note that EU consignments are tested for pesticide residues on a schedule specific to rice, tricyclazole in particular. We test against EU limits before shipment where that is the destination.

What to fix on the specification

• Variety: 1121, 1509, Pusa or traditional. They cook differently and are not substitutes.
• Average grain length: after cooking, not raw. Raw length flatters a lot that will not elongate.
• Ageing: months of paddy ageing before milling. Aged rice cooks drier and separates.
• Moisture: 13% maximum, measured on the packed lot.
• Broken and chalky: both as a percentage, counted separately.
• Residue panel: rice carries its own EU schedule, tricyclazole in particular.

Rice is the one line in this catalogue where the residue schedule is commodity-specific rather than general. If the destination is the European Union, say so at enquiry so the panel is run against the right list. EU residue limits explains where consignments usually fail.