Basmati Rice

Basmati rice is believed to have been cultivated in the Indian subcontinent for centuries. The earliest extant work to mention basmati rice is Heer Ranjha (1766).

Basmati was introduced to the Middle East and Central Asia by Arab and Muslim Indian traders. It remains not only an important part of various cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, but now is also used extensively in Central Asian, Persian, Arab, and other Middle Eastern cuisines as well. This type of rice is grown and exported by those from the Indian subcontinent.

India accounts for over 70% of the world's basmati rice production. A small portion of that is being grown organically. Organisations such as Kheti Virasat Mission are trying to increase the amount of basmati rice that is being grown in the Punjab in India.