What Makes Rice "Basmati"?
Basmati rice is a specific category of long-grain aromatic rice grown in the Indo-Gangetic plains of Pakistan and India. It is distinguished by extra-long grain length (7mm+ raw), strong natural aroma, and significant grain elongation when cooked (up to 2.5x). The word "basmati" comes from Hindi meaning "fragrant."
Pakistan Basmati Varieties
1121 Basmati: 8.3mm raw grain, 22mm+ cooked. The world's longest basmati. Premium pricing ($960-$1,020/MT FOB Karachi). Super Kernel Basmati: 7.2mm raw, traditional aroma. Value basmati ($850-$920/MT). D98 Basmati: 6.8mm, economy basmati. Pricing on request.
Pakistan Non-Basmati Varieties
PK386: 6.8mm grain, mid-range with basmati-like cooking ($520-$560/MT). IRRI-6: 6.0mm, bulk workhorse ($350-$460/MT depending on broken percentage). IRRI-9: 6.8mm, fuller grain ($460-$490/MT).
Key Differences
Grain length: Basmati 6.8-8.3mm vs Non-Basmati 6.0-6.8mm. Aroma: Basmati has strong natural fragrance, non-basmati has little to no aroma. Cooking: Basmati grains elongate significantly and remain separate; non-basmati elongates less. Price: Basmati commands 2-3x the price of non-basmati. HS Code: Both fall under 1006.30 (milled), but 100% broken rice uses 1006.40.
Which Markets Prefer Which?
GCC rice importers, Europe, USA: Primarily basmati (1121, Super Kernel) for retail. Africa: Mix of PK386 and IRRI-6 for wholesale and food service. China: IRRI-6 and broken rice. Iraq: IRRI-6 in various broken grades.
See current FOB prices for all varieties side by side, or request a quote for your specific requirements.