Rice, throughout history, has been one of man's most important foods. Rice is undoubtedly one of the most important staple foods of India. There are a number of rice producers, basmati rice producers, rice exporters, paddy cultivators and basmati suppliers and other agricultural commodities supplier in all parts of India. Today, this unique grain helps sustain two-thirds of the world's population, yet, little is known about the origins of rice cultivation. Archeological evidence suggests rice has been feeding mankind for more than 5,000 years. The first documented account of rice is found in a decree on rice planting authored by a Chinese emperor about 2,800 BC. From China to ancient Greece, from Persia to the Nile Delta, rice migrated across the continents, eventually finding its way to the Western Hemisphere.

Cultivated rices belong to three species, O. sativa, O. glaberrima and O. rufipogon. Of the two, O. sativa is by far the more widely utilized. O. sativa is a complex group composed of two forms endemic to Africa but not cultivated, and a third from, O. rufipogon, having distinctive partitions into South Asian, Chinese, New Guinean, Australian, and American forms. The subdivision of O. sativa into these seven forms began long ago and came about largely as a result of major tectonic events and worldwide climatic changes.

The world’s largest producers of rice are China (172 million tonnes), India (102 million tonnes) and Indonesia (42 million tonnes) (figures for 1988). In fact China and India account for about 50% of the world's rice area and 56% of production. Brazil is the largest producer of rice outside Asia. Rice is also an important staple in parts of Africa including Madagascar, Senegal, Gambia and Tanzania. A small amount of rice is grown in Europe, principally in Italy, Spain and Portugal.

There are primarily four distinct types of rice:

• Indica accounts for more than 75 percent of global trade and is grown mostly in tropical and subtropical regions.
• Japonica rice, typically grown in regions with cooler climates, accounts for around 12 percent of global rice trade.
• Aromatic rice, primarily jasmine from Thailand and basmati from India and Pakistan, accounts for around 10 percent of global trade and typically sells at a premium in world markets.
• Glutinous rice, grown mostly in Southeast Asia and used in desserts and ceremonial dishes, accounts for most of the remainder

In India, rice is grown in almost all states. India is the third largest producer of tobacco and rice, the second largest producer of wheat, vegetables, sugar and fish and the largest producer of milk, fruits, cashewnuts, coconuts and tea in the world. Kharif or rainy season is the main crop growing period in India. Rice being climatically most adaptable cereal, various types of land management systems for rice cultivation exists, these are otherwise known as cultural types. The long grain Basmati rice popular the world over is grown in India.