India: Knowledge-based rice quality change to boost farmers’ income

 major international initiative is being launched to develop better quality rice that could earn higher prices for the farmers and supply more nutritious food to the Asia’s emerging rich consumers who are willing to pay more for higher quality, taste and aroma. The new knowledge-based initiative in this direction is under way at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Manila Philippines, under the banner of ‘Quality rice network’.

Information from IRRI says “New scientific knowledge is allowing rice researchers to develop better quality rice varieties that could fetch a higher price from consumers, especially increasingly affluent rice consumers in Asia”.

According to Robert S. Zeigler, director general of IRRI, “the main aim of the new International Network for Quality Rice is to help rice breeders around the world develop varieties with improved quality traits such as better taste, aroma and cooking characteristics as well as higher levels of nutrition.