Effect of age and gender on consumer preference for physical attributes of rice

Rice is a major food in Sri Lankans diet. Different physical attributes of rice are available for human consumption in Sri Lankan market. Physical attributes of rice are related with rice consumption and they might affect on consumer preference. Therefore, this study was conducted to study consumer preference for different physical attributes of rice. Main physical attributes; rice pericarp color, rice grain size and degree of milling were used in this study. Age and gender were considered as main socioeconomic characteristics in this study. A questionnaire survey was carried out by using a purposively sample of 100 consumers in Hambantota administrative complex. The ranking score method and Chisquare test were used for analyzing. The results indicated that based on gender and age categories, most preferred rice pericarp color was red rice. Study reveals that based on gender and age categories, partially-milled rice was the most preferred and long slender (Basmati) was the most preferred rice and short round (Samba) was significant based on age. Overall, based on gender and age of consumers, study recommends red color, long slender, partially-milled rice for Hambanatota district

Diversity of Global Rice Markets and the Science Required for Consumer-Targeted Rice Breeding

With the ever-increasing global demand for high quality rice in both local production regions and with Western consumers, we have a strong desire to understand better the importance of the different traits that make up the quality of the rice grain and obtain a full picture of rice quality demographics. Rice is by no means a ‘one size fits all’ crop. Regional preferences are not only striking, they drive the market and hence are of major economic importance in any rice breeding / improvement strategy. In this analysis, we have engaged local experts across the world to perform a full assessment of all the major rice quality trait characteristics and importantly, to determine how these are combined in the most preferred varieties for each of their regions. Physical as well as biochemical characteristics have been monitored and this has resulted in the identification of no less than 18 quality trait combinations. This complexity immediately reveals the extent of the specificity of consumer preference. Nevertheless, further assessment of these combinations at the variety level reveals that several groups still comprise varieties which consumers can readily identify as being different. This emphasises the shortcomings in the current tools we have available to assess rice quality and raises the issue of how we might correct for this in the future. Only with additional tools and research will we be able to define directed strategies for rice breeding which are able to combine important agronomic features with the demands of local consumers for specific quality attributes and hence, design new, improved crop varieties which will be awarded success in the global market

Documentation and participatory rapid assessment of ethnoveterinary practices

360-364The Indian subcontinent has a rich ethnoveterinary health tradition owing to the large agriculture based livelihoods and rich biodiversity. Due to various social, economic and political factors this tradition is facing the threat of rapid erosion. A Programme to revitalise the ethnoveterinary traditions was initiated in 2001 by the Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), Bangalore in collaboration with National Diary Development Board (NDDB) and many field based non-governmental organisations in southern India. A participatory Rapid Assessment Programme was designed in order to find the best ethnoveterinary practices in select locations of southern India. This method is a community-based rapid assessment in which ethnoveterinary folk healers, veterinary doctors, Ayurvedic doctors, botanists and field workers play key roles. Many such documentation and assessment workshops were conducted in different parts of southern India from the year 2001-2003. A total of around 116 plant species for nearly 19 health conditions that are commonly seen in cattle were taken for assessment in different geographical locations. The basic principle of this assessment is a consensus of opinion among different medical systems about the management of a health condition. It was found that nearly 70% of the practices had supportive evidence from Ayurveda and modern pharmacology on their prescribed uses. It was also found that 55% of those positively assessed plants are easily available locally in each of the bio-geographical locations and can be grown in homestead gardens. The methodology of the assessment programme with an illustration of a health condition as understood by the local healers has been presented

Consumer preferences for aromatic rice for the countries, states, and provinces of Asia.

<p>In some regions, all popular rices are aromatic, in others, one or two is aromatic, and in some countries, aromatic rice is not popular. Additional information for other regions can be found in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0085106#pone-0085106-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>. Data were obtained from INQR representatives from each region.</p

Regional variation in rice length and shape (length/width) of the three most popular varieties in the countries, states, and provinces of Asia.

<p>In some regions, more than one type of grains lengths and shapes are preferred. Colours represent length, and lines represent the shape. Additional information for other regions can be found in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0085106#pone-0085106-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>. Data were obtained from INQR representatives from each region.</p