Non-Basmati Rice from India: Sona Masoori, Ponni, IR64 and More

India is the world's largest rice exporter, and most of that volume is non-basmati. Each variety has a loyal market, often linked to a regional cuisine.

Main varieties

• Sona Masoori: a light, medium-grain rice from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. The everyday rice of South Indian homes and very popular in the USA, UK and Australia.
• Ponni: a medium-grain Tamil Nadu rice, sold raw and parboiled, with a strong following in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore.
• IR64 and IR36: long-grain varieties traded in volume, raw and parboiled, to Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
• Swarna: a medium-grain parboiled rice, widely used in West Africa and Bangladesh.
• Kolam and HMT: small-grain aromatic rice from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
• Broken rice: for rice flour, pet food, brewing and feed.

Raw or parboiled

Parboiled rice is soaked and steamed in the husk before milling. It is firmer, more nutritious and holds up well in long cooking. Raw rice is softer and cooks faster.

Specifying non-basmati rice

State the variety, form, broken percentage (for example 5%, 15% or 25%), moisture, Sortex cleaning, crop year, and bag type and size. Retail buyers often want 5 kg, 10 kg or 20 kg bags with their own brand.

Export rules

India's government sometimes changes export rules for non-basmati rice, such as duties or minimum prices. A good exporter will tell you the current position before you confirm an order.