Composition | Rice/ Staple Food/ Paddy

Rice is a type of food that is very important in our country. It is a grain that comes from the paddy plant. About half of the people in the world rely on rice as their main food. Rice grows best in places that have a lot of moisture and hot weather, like Bangladesh, Burma, India, Italy, China, Japan, Thailand, Egypt, and Russia. In Bangladesh, Barisal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Dinajpur, Faridpur, and Comilla are well-known for rice cultivation. It's important for us to learn about the different types of rice, when to plant them, how to grow them, how rice is made, and how we use it.

In our country, there are three main types of rice that we eat. These types are called Aush, Aman, and Boro. Another type of rice called IRRI is grown during the Boro season. Aush rice is planted in the months of Baishakh or Jhaisthya, while Aman rice is planted in Ashar and Sraban. Boro rice is planted in Poush and Magh.

To grow rice, we first prepare the seedbed by plowing and harrowing the soil. Then we sow the seeds. After a few days, small plants start to sprout from the seeds. When the plants grow a few inches tall, they are removed from the seedbed and planted in rows in a new field with some space between them. The farmer removes weeds from the field and waters the land during the dry season. After three months, the rice plants mature and the grains ripen. The plants are then cut down, and the grains are separated. The farmers dry the grains in the sun and remove the husks using a Dheki or a machine. That's how we get rice.

After harvesting the rice, we boil it and eat it with other foods. Sometimes we also make Khai and Chira from rice. Mori is another product made from rice. We can prepare various dishes and cakes using rice. The straw and husks left over from rice are used as fuel in rural areas, and they can also be used as food for cattle.

In conclusion, rice is an important staple food. We should make efforts to increase rice production no matter what. Our government should take necessary steps to support the successful increase in rice production.