With a large number of choices, there are many types of rice to choose from. Consumers are familiar with long grain rice and short grain rice. What about medium grain rice types? In this article, I will introduce some famous medium grain rice types in the world and how you can import rice from Vietnam.
Contents
- 1 Overview of medium grain rice types
- 2 Medium grain rice types
- 3 7 steps to import medium grain rice types from Vietnam
- 4 Top suppliers of medium grain rice types in Vietnam
Overview of medium grain rice types
Medium grain rice types are various. How are they different from long grain and short grain rice?
Rice length
Did you know that rice is categorized into 3 types based on length? There are long grain rice, short grain rice and medium grain rice types.
Long grain rice types are the most popular ones, with the average length of the grain being more than 6mm. We can name some long grain rice types such as Jasmine rice, Basmati rice, ST25 rice, etc.
Rice length
Short grain rice is also popular with Japonica rice or American short-grain brown rice. The average length of short grain is less than 5.2 mm.
And what about medium grain rice? Medium grain rice has an average length of 5.2mm-6mm. Some famous medium grain rice types are Ham Chau, Arborio, Valencia, etc. In this article, I will give you details about medium grain rice types and how to import them from Vietnam.
Rice stickiness
Do you know which composition makes rice sticky? It is starch! There are two kinds of starch in medium grain rice types: amylose and amylopectin.
Amylose is a straight and long starch molecule which does not gelatinize when cooked. Rice that contains a high amount of amylose will separate completely once cooked. There are 4 levels of amylose content in rice as follows
Rice that contains more than 24% of amylose: High-amylose rice
Rice that contains 20% – 24% of amylose: Intermediate-amylose rice
Rice that contains 10% -19% of amylose: Low-amylose rice
Rice that contains less than 5% of amylose: Waxy rice
For medium grain rice types, the amount of amylose fall between 15% and 17%. Therefore, the grains of medium rice tend to be soft and stick together once cooked.
Amylose and Amulopectin in rice
Amylopectin is a starch molecule that gives the rice its gelatinous and sticky texture. When cooked, rice with a high amylopectin content will be quite sticky and glutinous.
Medium grain rice types typically contain a high content of amylopectin which give them a creamy and moist texture when cooked.
Medium grain rice types
Below is a list of common medium grain rice types around the world. Let’s check how many types of medium rice you know!
Medium grain rice types in Asia
- Japonica rice
Japonica is one of medium grain rice types which originated from China. Now, Japonica is grown in mountainous climates, including China, Japan and Korea. Japonica rice has a roundish, short to medium shape. Due to low content of amylose (from 0% – 20%), the rice has a sticky and moist texture. People often use Japonica rice to make sushi, risotto and paella.
Japonica rice in bulk is now available, CLICK TO BUY
Japonica medium grain rice (price in 2022 of K-Agriculture)
- Calrose rice
Calrose rice is one of medium grain rice types which is cultivated in California, USA. “Cal” for “California” and “rose” for “Blue Rose”, which is a rice variety grown earlier in Louisiana. Calrose rice contains only 18% of amylose, which means the rice is very soft and moist after cooking. Its taste is held very well, which is suitable for making sushi.
- Jasmine rice
Jasmine rice is primarily cultivated in Southern Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. Known for its moist nature, this rice becomes soft when cooked and has a slightly sweet taste. The grains are sticky when cooked, although less so than glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. Glutinosa) due to its lower amylopectin content. Jasmine rice is about three times as sticky as long-grain American rice. While it is famous for its long grain variety, Jasmine rice also comes in a medium-grain type
- Ham Chau rice
Ham Chau rice is one of the most high-quality medium grain rice types in Vietnam. It is mainly grown in the Mekong River Delta – a region rich in alluvial soil which is suitable for the development of rice. Ham Chau rice is characterized by its medium length and slightly rounded shape. It contains a high amylose content of 26%, so it has a somewhat soft, spongy and dry texture. The grains do not stick too much when cooked.
Ham Chau medium grain rice (Price in 2022 of K-Agriculture)
- Basmati rice
Basmati rice is very popular in South Asian countries such as India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Its distinctive feature is its natural aroma, similar to that of pineapple leaves. Basmati rice is well-known for its long grain, but it also comes in a medium-grain variety that retains its characteristic slender shape and pearly white color. Medium-grain Basmati is rich in carbohydrates, providing the necessary energy for the body. Additionally, Basmati rice contains a small amount of protein, fiber, and B vitamins.
Medium grain rice types in Europe
- Arborio rice
Arborio rice is one of Italian rice medium grain rice types which is named after the town of Arborio located in Italy. Arborio rice is now grown in both Italy and America. In Italy, it is mainly planted in rice-producing regions such as Lombardy and Piedmont. In the USA, Arborio rice is grown in rice-growing states, including California and Arkansas. Arborio rice is rich in amylopectin starch, therefore, the texture of cooked Arborio rice is soft, chewy and creamy. The grains stick together which is perfect for the risotto dish.
- Carnaroli rice
Carnaroli rice is an Italian medium grain rice variety which is planted in Vercelli, Novara and Pavia provinces in the northern region of Italy. With a high content of amylose, Carnaroli rice has a firm texture and can keep its shape better than other medium grain rice types after cooking. Carnaroli rice is most frequently used in Italian cooking and is often used to make risotto.
Carnaroli medium grain rice types
- Paellarice
Medium-grain paella rice is a special type of rice used to cook traditional Spanish paella. Unlike long-grain rice, paella rice has short, round, and slightly flattened grains, although there are also medium-grain varieties. Paella rice has a mild flavor, not too strong, and has the ability to absorb just the right amount of water, helping the grains remain fluffy and not mushy when cooked.
- Camolino rice
Camolino rice is a medium rice variety that originated in Egypt. Camolino grains have a short roundish shape to a medium shape. When cooked, the grains become sticky and soft because of high content of amylopectin in the grains. Camolino grains can stick together in soups and salads and can hold its flavours very well. Camolino rice is one of ideal medium grain rice types for the Mediterranean, Spanish and Arab style dishes, including paella, pilaf, and rice bowls.
7 steps to import medium grain rice types from Vietnam
This section will give you a full guide on how you will import medium grain rice types from Vietnam
Know your products
Do you have any understanding of the rice varieties you are importing? Understanding the different medium grain rice types is the first step in importing safe food.
Different medium grain rice types will be used for different dishes. Depending on the popular dishes in your country, you can select suitable rice varieties
- If you want to make sushi, salads and soup, you may want to buy Japonica rice and Calrose rice
- If you want to make risotto and paella, you may want to buy Arborio rice, Carnaroli rice and Camolino rice
- If you are an Asian who eat rice as a staple every day, Ham Chau rice is perfect for you
Medium grain rice types are ingredients for risotto, paella, and sushi
The stickiness of medium grain rice types is also different
- If you want rice that has a moist and sticky texture, I recommend Japonica rice, Calrose rice, Arborio rice and Camolino rice.
- If you want rice that has a firm and dry texture, Ham Chau rice and Carnaroli rice are ideal rice types
Know the import requirements of your country
After identifying the medium grain rice types that you are interested in, you should look for information about import requirements in your country.
There are 3 types of requirements that you need to pay attention to:
1/ Rice quality requirements: Your imported medium grain rice types must adhere to general food safety standards, including being produced, processed, stored, packed, and labelled under hygienic facilities. Depending on your country, there will be different regulations for imported rice.
Here are requirements for rice import of some countries:
Import rice to USA: https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/what-are-the-regulations-for-importing-rice-into-the-united-states
Import rice to Canada: https://inspection.canada.ca/importing-food-plants-or-animals/food-imports/step-by-step-guide/eng/1523979839705/1523979840095
Import rice to UK: https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/importing-cereals
Import rice to Singapore: https://www.sfa.gov.sg/food-import-export/commercial-food-imports
Import rice to Ghana: http://ghanatrade.org/ghana-import-procedures-rice/
Import rice to UAE: https://www.moccae.gov.ae/en/services/export-import-services/import-permit.aspx
2/ Document requirements: You need to know and prepare documents you must have when importing medium grain rice types. There can be documents related to quality of goods, payment or transportation.
3/ Import tax: Different types of commodities will have different import tax levels. When you import medium grain rice types and resell them in your country, you must check the import tax that your country applies for these products so that you can calculate the right cost and estimate your revenue.
Below are HS codes of rice products that will assist you in looking up the import tax:
- Broken rice: 10064000
- Rice semi-milled or wholly milled, whether or not polished or glazed, parboiled: 10063010
- Rice semi-milled or wholly milled, whether or not polished or glazed, other than parboiled: 10063090
Find suitable suppliers
We would like to suggest the following channels so that you can find trustworthy suppliers of medium grain rice types:
Using Google
The simplest approach to finding trustworthy providers of medium grain rice types is to use Google. You might use keywords like “top medium grain rice types suppliers in Vietnam” or “best rice companies in Vietnam”.
Use google to find suppliers of medium grain rice types in Vietnam
As a consequence, on the first page, you will get a list of results for manufacturers of medium grain rice types in Vietnam.
Ecommerce-platforms
When searching for suppliers on e-commerce platforms, you should enter keywords like “top medium grain rice suppliers” or “medium grain rice types suppliers” into the search box, then you click the button “Search.” You’ll notice a list of suppliers selling medium grain rice types and you can see their prices. If you want to find suppliers in a certain country, you can add the name of the country after the keyword in the search box.
Several well-known e-commerce platforms to find reliable exporters:
- Alibaba is the most remarkable platform, projected to have 1 billion users globally by 2021. Their goal is to link together international wholesale businesses.
- Tridge is an online marketplace that facilitates trading in agricultural goods between consumers and sellers worldwide. On our site, you may discover trustworthy exporters of medium grain rice types.
- EC21 is loved by many enterprises as it connects millions of buyers and sellers globally. You can look for companies that supply medium grain rice types on this platform.
- Indiamart is a leading B2B e-commerce site that allows you to connect with reliable suppliers of medium grain rice types based in India.
Hiring broker service
It’s also a smart idea to work with intermediary brokers that have extensive knowledge of medium grain rice types. You may ask them to conduct market research and compile a list of reliable providers for you. However, the cost of the service is rather high.
Trade fair for agriculture
A traditional strategy for your company is to meet providers of medium grain rice types from all over the world at agricultural trade shows. Examples of well-known agriculture expos include the Paris International Agricultural Show, AgriTech Expo Zambia, and others.
Trade shows of agricultural products
To find out more about the schedule of agricultural trade exhibits throughout the world, you can search Google or enter the website “https://10times.com/agriculture-forestry.”
Come to Vietnam
This is an optional step. You have free time and you can bear the travelling cost of the business trip to Vietnam? You want to make sure that the suppliers are totally reliable and can meet your requirements? Yes, you can fly directly to Vietnam and visit the factories that provide medium grain rice types here!
Negotiation of terms in the contract
- Shipment
Agricultural products such as medium grain rice types are often shipped by sea way. The advantages of sea transport are cheap cost and safety for the quality of the goods. A dry container 20ft can load 25 tons of rice, while a dry container 40ft can load 27 tons of rice. So, a container 20ft is preferred for rice products.
With regards to terms of shipment, sellers and buyers have to agree on:
- Time of delivery: ETD (estimated time that vessel will depart), ETA (estimated time that vessel will arrive at destination)
- Port of loading
- Port of discharge
Both parties also agree on the INCOTERM used in the contract. INCOTERM stands for “International Commercial Terms” which is developed by The International Chamber of Commerce. It is a collection of 11 widely accepted standard trade terms to facilitate international B2B transactions of goods. In international trade of medium grain rice types, FOB and CNF are the terms that are popularly used. According to INCOTERM 2010, if FOB term is used in the contract, the importer must book the vessel and pay the shipping fee. If CNF term is used in the contract, the exporter is liable for vessel booking.
- Payment
As for terms of payment, here are some important points that importers and exporters must pay attention to:
- Payment method: L/C, T/T, D/P, D/A, etc
- Payment time
- Payment amount
- Currency
- Documents for payment
Normally, there are 3 payment methods that are popular in international trade.
The first payment method is L/C (Letter of credit). On behalf of the buyer and seller, Letter of credit guarantees payments from one bank to another. After receiving confirmation that both the buyer and seller have complied with all terms and conditions of the transaction, the buyer’s bank authorizes payment to the exporter. If the buyer has a little credit history, Letters of credit can be crucial tools for guaranteeing payment. This payment method is beneficial for importers since they are not required to pay until they receive their consignment of medium grain rice types.
Payment method L/C
The second payment method is D/P (Documents Against Payment). D/P is the method by which the seller, after fulfilling his delivery obligation, prepares the shipping documents and asks the bank to collect the amount stated on the draft with the terms and conditions. In the event that the buyer pays or accepts payment, the bank will hand over all shipping documents to the buyer for them to receive the consignment of medium grain rice types.
Payment method D/P
The final payment method is T/T (Telegraphic transfer). T/T is a payment method whereby the bank transfers a certain amount of money to the beneficiary by means of money transfer (Swift/telex)
There are 2 ways to transfer money:
-
- Prepaid Money Transfer: The importer pays an amount of money in advance to the exporter before the shipment.
- T/T after shipment: The importer pays the exporter after receiving the consignment of medium grain rice types.
- Documents
If you want to import medium grain rice types, you must check the regulation of your country to see whether you must get an import license or not.
Here is a set of essential documents for the consignment that exporters in Vietnam will hand over to importers:
-
- Bill of lading
- Cargo insurance
- Packing list
- Certificate of Origin
- Certificate of Quality
- Certificate of Fumigation
- Certificate of Phytosanitary
- Other special documents
Tracking the progress of the shipment and receiving the goods
For the process of importing goods by sea, the exporter will supervise and tract the entire packing process to update importers. At least 1 day before the ship’s arrival date, you will receive an Arrival Notice from the shipping company.
After that, you will take delivery orders (D/O) to receive the consignment of medium grain rice types. D/O is issued by the carrier so that importers can use it to obtain the goods. D/O will show who is keeping the goods and to whom the goods will be delivered.
Make custom clearance of imported goods
Every item that is imported into your country must go through the customs process for a proper inspection, appraisal, assessment, and evaluation. This allows the customs officials in charging the proper customs duty and checking the commodities to prevent illegal imports. Each country will require different documents for the customs clearance process. You should look for information on the internet to understand the procedure of making custom clearance in your country and prepare the right documents. This is a complicated procedure. If you cannot do it on your own, you can hire a forward agent or a broker to do it for you.
Top suppliers of medium grain rice types in Vietnam
This is a list of the top 5 rice companies in Vietnam that we want you to work with:
Song Hau Food
Song Hau Food Company is a member of the Southern Food Corporation, established in 1999. To date, the company has been operating for 25 years in supplying rice to the domestic market and exporting to the world. After many years of effort, Song Hau Food Company has become a member of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) and has exported rice to about 45 countries, conquering many demanding markets. However, supplying rice to the domestic market can cause the company to be distracted from export orders.
Song Hau Food – Supplier Rice in Vietnam
K-Agriculture
K-Agriculture Factory began as a little rice export company in 1996. But because of the leadership team’s constant efforts and the assistance of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, K-Agriculture Factory has grown significantly and is now the country’s top producer of rice. With a storage capability of 21,000 tons, the K-Agriculture Factory’s production system can manufacture 15,000 tons of rice per month. The company primarily many types of rice such as ST rice, Jasmine rice, Japonica, OM5451, IR504, medium grain rice types and sticky rice. Their markets are mainly located in Asia (China, Philippines, Malaysia, etc.), the EU, USA and Africa. K-Agriculture factories meet the standard of HACCP, HALAL, and FDA.
To get the latest price of rice, contact us:
Email: info@k-agriculture.com
Website: https://k-agriculture.com/
Phone number: +84855555837
Tan Vuong Food Co., Ltd.
Located in An Giang province, Vietnam, Tan Vuong Food Co., Ltd. has leveraged the region’s advantages to expand its previous rice export business. With 15 years of experience in rice export, the company has expanded its factory premises to 20 hectares, with an annual production capacity of 144,000 tons. Currently, Tan Vuong Food’s rice storage system has a capacity of approximately 40,000 tons, and the rice quality is certified by ISO, ORGANIC, FDA, and more.
Tan Vuong Food Company Limited – rice wholesaler
However, Tan Vuong Food does not solely focus on exporting rice overseas but also targets the domestic market. This dual focus may create some distractions for foreign partners considering importing rice from Tan Vuong Food, as the company must compete with other rice retailers at large distributors or traditional markets, and also plan marketing, branding, and product placement in supermarkets – where Tan Vuong Food displays its rice. Therefore, importers should carefully consider these factors.
Loc Troi Group
Established in 1993, Loc Troi Group has always been closely associated with farmers and contributed to the sustainable development of Vietnamese agriculture. With 25 branches spread across Vietnam and one in Cambodia, Loc Troi Group has now operated for 31 years with extensive experience in exporting rice to over 40 countries and achieving impressive revenue over the years. Their rice mills employ advanced milling processes to ensure product quality. As a result, rice bearing the Loc Troi Group brand is widely accepted in demanding markets.
Loc Troi Group – Supplier types of medium grain rice
Vilaconic
Vilaconic is the first company that may come to your mind when thinking about top Vietnamese medium grain rice types producers. Vilaconic Joint Stock Company has been in business for 11 years and exports more than $50 million worth of rice every year. In the provinces of Can Tho and Tien Giang, there are industries that produce rice. The predominant rice kinds are ST rice and aromatic rice, and the key markets are the Middle East and Africa. SCG, HALAL, and other well-known worldwide certificates were awarded to Vilaconic Joint Stock Company.
Vilaconic
