Paddy Rice or Rough Rice

In most of the world and in California, the term paddy rice is used to describe the rice as it comes from the field after harvest. The rice has been threshed and each grain is separate. The grain of rice has a hard husk protecting the kernel inside. The husk (or hull) that covers rice is much thicker and tougher than most cereal grain husks. Paddy rice is also called rough rice. (Primarily in the southern growing area of the U.S.) By weight, the composition of paddy rice is approximately: 22% husk (including about 2% trash), 10% bran, and 68% rice (2% of the rice are very small pieces, brewers rice, and fines). The rice portion can have varying percentages of broken kernels. A typical milling yield in California for medium grain would be described as 54/68. 54% brokens and 68% total. (14% brokens) In the southern growing area, a typical yield for long grain would be 58/68. In Japan where harvest and drying conditions are ideal a typical yield would be 67/70. Paddy rice is not as dense as milled rice and usually weighs about 37 lbs per cubic ft. Brown rice, milled rice, and brokens weigh about 52 lbs per cubic ft.

Most paddy rice is milled in the U.S. Some is exported to countries like Brazil, Mexico, and Turkey for milling. The export of paddy harms the milling industry and eventually the farmer. The U.S. is about the only country in the world that allows the export of paddy rice. It does not make sense from an economic standpoint (the unnecessary freight cost of hulls and bran). It only occurs when the importing country has some sort of duty advantage for paddy rice that al lows it to occur.

the term paddy rice is used to describe the rice as it comes from the field after harvest