By Patrick Jonas

TO MANY this may sound like a "believe it or not" story.

Is it possible to eat rice without cooking it?

It is possible and some in India's north-east have been eating a variety of soft rice which can be eaten after it is soaked in normal water for about 45 minutes.

If the water is lukewarm, it takes just 15 minutes.

But there is one problem. This particular type of rice grows only in cool climates and the yield is very low.

So scientists at Cuttack-based Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) in Orissa worked on the rice and have since perfected a variety that can grow in hot climates, similar to that in rice-growing regions of the world, and produce a higher yield.

CRRI director Tapan Kumar Adhya told tabla!: "We wanted to see whether the same rice can be grown here and retain the same properties."

Speaking about the scientists' work on the rice variety named Aghonibora, he added: "It was studied in detail and found to retain the soak-and-eat characteristics. It took 140 to 145 days to mature, measured 90cm in height and yielded about 4.5 tonnes per hectacre in preliminary testing."

The reason this rice is called soft rice is that it is low on amylose (starch).

The popular varieties in India's north-east are Aghonibora, Bhogalibora, Chakua and Misiri.

The first two varieties were released by the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Titabar, in Assam.

Dr Adhya sees great potential for this rice and he is confident that farmers will take up farming this variety.

He says that one of the big gains will be the tremendous amount of savings in fuel, time "and above all help maintain a cleaner environment".

patrickj@sph.com.sg