Tracing the journey of Thailand's fragrant rice

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Thailand is widely recognized as having some of the best fragrant rice in the world. Each year, the country produces about 400 million tons of fragrant rice, also known as Hom Mali or jasmine rice. About 400 thousand tons are consumed by Chinese, and there’s a decades-long history of cooperation between companies from the two countries.

There are several places in Thailand producing top quality fragrant rice. The northeastern Ubon Ratchathani Province is one of them, and 61-year old Kian Meekam has grown this type of rice for forty years. It’s a way of life inherited from his parents. He says the secret is organic practices, tending to crops manually, without using chemicals or fertilizers.

Rice farmers in northeastern Thailand maintain organic practices. /CGTN Photo

Fragrant rice is usually planted around mid-June in Thailand, and takes roughly six months to mature. After the harvest, the chain of mass production starts. At the largest rice mill in the province, the raw materials go through fixed procedures like dehydrating and hulling.

The rice is then transported to Bangkok, about six hundred kilometers away, for finishing. More than ten steps take place here to upgrade the quality of rice, like sorting, whitening and polishing.

Uthai Produce has one of the most advanced rice processing equipment in the world. /CGTN Photo

Fragrant rice requires very controlled growing conditions involving climate, soil and water.

With limited output, only two million tons are available for export. Rice trading between China and Thailand started more than two hundred years ago. Business ties continue today, with more than twenty percent of Thailand's fragrant rice exports going to China.

Shenzhen Thai Fragrant Rice Company Limited has partnered with Uthai Produce for more than 20 years. It supplies 30 percent of the country’s fragrant rice market, with an annual sales volume hitting 100 thousand tons.

A purity of or above 92 percent is regarded as authentic fragrant rice. /CGTN Photo

For many customers, fragrant rice is a gateway to learning more about Thailand and its culture. However, the market is challenged as a result of fake or adulterated rice products. That’s sparked public calls for tougher controls, to make sure this aromatic dish is truly authentic.