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From UP to Bihar, you will commonly see rice in your plate in many areas of India. For many people, their meal is not complete without eating rice. Like India, rice is an important dish in many countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Japan, South Korea. Rice is generally served in the meal. But, do you know which country in the world sells the most expensive rice?

When you go to the market to buy rice, you would buy around Rs 30 to Rs 800 for it. But, Japan is a country where the most expensive rice in the world is grown. Their price is more than 6 thousand.

How much is the price?

According to Guinness World Records, the most expensive rice in the world is Kinmei Premium, which cost around Rs 9,156 ($109) per kilogram in 2016. According to a recent report by CNN, this year, boxes of Kinmeimai Premium are available in the market at Rs 6,165($73.4) per box.

Why is it so special?

This variety has been developed by Japan’s Toyo Rice Corporation, which combines modern food technology and age-old farming traditions. Its high price has raised an interesting question among scientists and consumers — what makes this rice so special?

How is farming done?

Cultivation of this rice started in 1961. The story of Kinmemai Premium began as an experiment to test the nutritional potential of rice in a new way. Research of Toyo Rice Corporation developed it. The objective of developing this rice was to prepare such rice which could be cooked without washing. It should retain its natural nutrients, as washing rice usually leaches away essential nutrients and surface proteins into the water.

The rice used in Kinmemai Premium is not from a single farm or variety, but is carefully blended from 5 different rice varieties grown in Japan’s famous prefectures such as Gunma, Gifu, Kumamoto, Nagano and Niigata.

Each grain is picked by hand

Each and every grain of it is picked by hand. Each grain is selected from farms that have received a Gold Award from the Association of Certified Rice Evaluators in the International Rice Taste Evaluation Competition. These include famous varieties like Kashihikari and Pikamaru, which are known for their fine texture and aroma.

Before processing rice, it is kept under specially controlled conditions for 6 months. During this time, the remaining starch of the rice gets set properly and the moisture gets distributed evenly, due to which the taste and texture of the rice becomes better after cooking.

Also, its cultivation is done with great care. Soil is also taken care of in this. Things like minerals and moisture in the soil also affect the final taste of rice. Attention to detail makes Kinmeimai Premium not just an ordinary rice, but an exclusive and artisanal product.

How beneficial is Kinmei Premium Rice?

This rice contains nutrition and beneficial lipids and fiber are preserved. This technology resulted in the production of rinse-free rice, which is not only environmentally sustainable (because water wastage is less), but also has nutritional value.

Kinmei Premium contains 6 times more lipopolysaccharides (LPS) than conventional white rice. According to Toyo Rice Corporation, this rice contains high amounts of nutrients like dietary fiber, B vitamins and amino acids, which are often lost in normal polishing.

Rice has been an important part of the diet in Japan for nearly 3,000 years. Today, more than 300 varieties of rice are commonly grown across the country.