Pusa 1121 rice facts for kids

Pusa 1121 is a very special type of basmati rice. Scientists created it by carefully mixing different rice plants over many years. This process is called plant breeding. Two brothers, Devesh Mittal and Aman Mittal, helped develop this rice. Devesh Mittal even won a special award called Padma Shri for his work!

This rice is famous for its super long grains. Each uncooked grain can be as long as 8.4 millimetres (0.33 in)! That makes it the longest rice type ever grown. When you cook Pusa 1121, the grains get even longer, about 2 to 2.5 times their original size. It also stays separate and doesn't get sticky. Plus, it has a lovely smell and is considered healthier than many other rice types.

How Pusa 1121 Was Developed

The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) created Pusa 1121. They released it for farmers to grow in the 2003 kharif season. The kharif season is when crops are planted during the monsoon, usually from June to October.

Why Farmers Love Pusa 1121

By 2007, Pusa 1121 became very popular with farmers. Here's why:

• It doesn't care much about sunlight (it's "photo-insensitive").
• It needs less water to grow.
• It ripens faster than traditional rice.
• Farmers can harvest much more of it. They get about 19–20 quintals of rice per acre, compared to only 9–10 quintals for older basmati types. A quintal is a unit of weight, about 100 kilograms.

Where Pusa 1121 Is Grown

As of 2013^[update], Pusa Basmati 1121 was grown in many parts of India. It covered a huge area in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. It was also grown in Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh.

Pusa 1121 and Exports

This rice is very important for India's trade with other countries. It's a big export item! Pusa 1121 makes up about 70% of all basmati rice that India sells to other countries. This has greatly increased the money India earns from selling basmati rice overseas.

Types of Pusa Basmati 1121 Rice

Pusa Basmati 1121 rice comes in two main types:

• White Basmati Rice: This is the polished version, meaning the outer layers (bran) have been removed.
• Golden Basmati Rice: This is the unpolished version, which still has the bran. It's often considered healthier because the bran contains extra nutrients.

Most of this rice comes from the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh in India.

How Basmati Rice Is Processed

Basmati rice is also divided into two categories based on how it's processed:

• Sella Basmati: This type is parboiled (partially boiled in its husk) before milling. This makes the grains stronger and helps them absorb flavors better. It's often preferred for its high nutrition value.
• Steam Basmati: This type is steamed before milling. Steaming helps to keep the grains separate and fluffy when cooked.