Paddy (Dhan) is the grain enclosed with seed coat called hull. Rice (chamal) is the grain devoid of hull .It is the major staple food for Asian countries of Nepal.
Importance of Rice:
- Economic importance :
- It is the major crop for household and national economy.
- It is the major crop for employment oppurtunity because it needs more colours.
- It contributes about 7% to National GDP and 20 % to AGDP.
- It is the top most crop prioritized by government of Nepal.
- Industrial importance :
- Preparation of beaten rice (chiura) and rice straw is used for making mats , shoes , hats and ropes also.
- Due to the presence of silica and potassium in greater percent , rice straw can be used as raw material for glass industry and quality paper industry.
- Rice hulls used as firing material in industry.
- Rice hull used for manufacture of insulation material , cardboard , etc.
- Human Nutritional Values:
- Fulfills more than 50 % of calories requirement
- Chemical composition : carbohydrate 79% , protein (7-8%) , oil (2-5%) , fiber (0.8%) , ash (5-9%).
- Rich source of vitamin B complex.
- Used to make beverage like chyang , etc.
- Animal nutrition value :
- Straw is the major foder used for cattle as hay.
- Rice bran is used for cattle and poultry.
- Broken rice (kanika) used as animal feed.
- Socio-cultural and religious value
- Pindas are balls of cooked rice offered to ancestors during hindu funerals rites and ancestor worships.
- Annaprasana – the first rice feeding ceremony is observed on six month of a child birth.
- In Dashain , rice is used in preparation like tika and jamara (rice sprout seedling)
6. Other value
- Straws are used as housing materials.
- Staw used in making mushroom production/
- Staw used as bedding material for human and animal.
- Staw used for making firing material like guithe.