on the second largest cereal in demand, production and consumption worldwide”

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is, without doubt, one of the most ancient cereals that are Tenga constancia. It is a multivitamin and has extraordinary properties, despite being a grain containing only 1.16 mg of weight approximately. For that reason, since ancient times, it has become indispensable food in the kitchens of the world; its importance is such that the year 2004 was declared by the FAO as the international year of rice worldwide. Producing it is relatively simple compared to other crops with similar properties and uses; thanks to which it tolerates particular heat, humidity, flooding, aridity, and cold conditions; it can even be produced in saline, alkaline, and acidic soils.

Rice is the main means of life for the mayores poblaciones del mundo. Y is deeply related to the cultural heritage of numerous societies, especially in Asia; looking at the staple food of more than the mitad of the world population. And only in Asia. More than 2,000 million people get rice and products, from 60 to 70% of their daily caloric consumption. Asian countries, it is where the greatest consumption is concentrated, as well as the greatest production and exports worldwide. According to the FAO, for the year 2016, China produced more than 209 million tons, followed by India with 158 million tons.

Rice is the energy base of the Asian diet for several millennia

origin

The origin of this cereal has been debated for many years. Countries such as China, Japan, and Korea were awarded their origin; without embargo, morphological studies signal their importance to China. drawing of black slaves sowing rice Including ancient Chinese manuscripts mentioning 3,000 years before Christ; where they considered the beginning of their Zimbra as a religious ceremony only reserved for the emperor. Probably I will take several routes through which the kinds of rice from Asia were introduced to other parts of the world. In 1000 years BC was known in India and 400 years BC. in Egypt.

Origin in Latin America

In Latin America, it is believed that it arrived with the arrival of the Spanish people. With Cristóbal Colón himself, on his second trip, numerous failed attempts were made to introduce and reproduce it. In the year 1512, they were the result of the Spanish efforts to achieve their acclimatization. Since then, it has expanded from the island of La Española (today the Dominican Republic and Haiti) to the rest of the islands in the surrounding area and from there, 

it jumped to the mainland. It is well known that before the discoverers reached the “new continent” there was already a species of wild rice whose name was Zizania aquatica; In the case of this plant, its consumption was not usual. Gradually, the variety betrayed by the Spanish was merged into the indigenous gastronomy. Little by little, I introduce myself next to the tortilla and the arepas, considering that together with the maize it was one of the basic cereals of the Latin diet.

With the arrival of people from the African client as slaves, a fundamental piece of work is produced for the definitive acclimatization and effective development of rice in America. They were aware of everything necessary for the rice cultivation in these lands to be successful; ya that had been introduced previously in its regions of origin. All the structures and the irrigation system of the sugarcane plantations will help to obtain excellent harvests of this cereal in America

Etymology

Its name turns out to be an adoption by the Greek to the Spanish language arrived through the Hispanic Arabic. Derived from “arráwz”, from Classical Arabic āruz(z) or Cruz(z), and instead of Greek “ορυζα” (Oryza) whence it comes from its scientific name “Oryza sativa” which literally means “what resembles” or ” what is cultivated”. It is considered the second most consumed and produced cereal worldwide after maize. This is only because corn is produced for many other purposes apart from human nutrition. In addition, it is one of the few edible crops that can be planted under flooding conditions.

It is widely extended in the tropical region, from 49-50º of north latitude to 35º of south latitude; and its carbohydrates are the source of a fifth of the calories consumed in the world.