TABLE 21 - Amylose scattergram and protein content of milled rices of varieties grown in various countries In Asia (IRRI 1963-90)

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^a Percent amylose, milled rice dry weight basis: waxy 0-5%, very low 5.1-12.0%, low 12.1-20.0%, intermediate 20.125.0%, high >25.0%.

^b At 12% H2O.

^c Includes varieties grown at IRRI.

Source: Juliano & VillareaL 1991.

Intermediate-amylose rices predominate in Bhutan, Myanmar and Pakistan, whereas low-amylose rices predominate in Taiwan Province (China), Japan and the Republic of Korea. Very low amylose rices are identified only in Brunei, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Laos, Sarawak (Malaysia), Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand. Waxy rices are represented in China, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Laos, West Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand. Waxy rice is the staple in Laos and north and northeast Thailand.

Protein content in these milled rice samples ranged from 4 to 14 percent and mean protein ranged from 6.3 to 9.2 percent (Table 21). The overall mean protein content is 7.8 percent.

Of the varieties grown outside Asia, low-, intermediate- and high-amylose rices are equally represented (Table 22). High-amylose rices predominate in Colombia, Ghana, Guatemala, Nigeria, Paraguay, Peru, Sierra Leone and Venezuela. Intermediate-amylose rices predominate in Chile, Greece, Hungary, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Suriname and Venezuela. Low-amylose rices predominate in Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Egypt, France, Portugal, Turkey, the United States and the area of the former Soviet Union. The United States has the only very low amylose rice and has waxy rices as does Australia.

The protein content of milled rice samples grown outside Asia ranged from 5 to 13 percent and mean values ranged from 6.2 to 10.5 percent (Table 22). Mean protein is 7.2 percent, which is lower than that of Asian rice (Table 2 1).

The amylose types preferred in various rice-producing countries in Asia and elsewhere producing 0.1 percent or more of total world production are tabulated in Table 23 (Juliano and Duff, 1991). Intermediate-amylose rice seems the most popular, followed by low- and high-amylose rices and lastly waxy rice. Lowamylose rices were mainly japonica except in Thailand and Argentina. The Thai rices are the jasmine or Khao Dawk Mali 105 type that is becoming popular in the United States and Europe. Intermediate-amylose rices were preferred in the most countries; these include Basmati rices, Indonesian bulu (Javanica) varieties, Myanmar's Nga Kywe or D25-4 elongating rices and United States long-grain varieties. High-amylose rices with medium to soft gel are preferred in most of South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) for their suitability for parboiling.

TABLE 22 - Amylose scattergram and protein content of milled rices of varieties grown in various countries outside Asia (IRRI, 1963-90)

^a Percent amylose, milled rice dry weight basis: waxy 0-5%, very low 5.1-12.0%, low 12.1-20.0%, intermediate 20.1-25.0%, high >25.0%.

^b At 12% H2O

Source: Juliano & Villareal, 1991.

Quality of rice in international markets

The quality types of rices in the international markets are basically high-quality long-grain rice, medium-quality long-grain rice, short-grain rice, parboiled rice, aromatic or fragrant rice and waxy or glutinous rice (Efferson, 1985). Each is demanded by different markets. Long-grain, higher-quality rice is sold mostly in Europe and the Near East, medium-quality long-grain rice in the deficit countries of Asia, the short-grain product in various special-demand areas, high-quality parboiled rice in the Near East and Africa and the lower-quality parboiled rice in special markets in Asia and Africa. Aromatic rice is demanded mostly in the Near East. Waxy rice meets market needs in Laos, while smaller volumes go to other countries.

TABLE 23 - Rice-grain apparent amylose type preferred in various ricegrowing countries contributing 0.1 percent or more to total world rice production

^a Data from China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou.
^b Data from International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Lagos, Nigeria.

Source: Juliano & Duff, 1991.

In the traditionally rice-consuming economies of Hong Kong and sectors of Rome, Italy, quality characteristics in major retail outlets were found to be an important consideration for retail price (Kaosa-ard and Juliano, 1989). In Hong Kong, low-amylose long-grain translucent rices are preferred, with higher head rice and softer gel consistency. In Rome, price correlated positively with chalkiness and the number of packings and negatively with gel consistency. Imported rices were more expensive than local japonica varieties, many of which were also parboiled. In Bonn, Germany, which is a traditionally non-riceconsuming market, head rice content was the only statistically important rice grain property, and level of processing, lot size and packing types were important price considerations.

Thai export rices were shown to be more variable in starch properties than United States long-grain rices, mainly intermediate-amylose, reflecting the greater heterogeneity of amylose and gelatinization temperature values among Thai varieties (Juliano, Perez and Kaosa-ard, 1990). Brokens and head rice are blended as required by the importer.

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