Buyer's Guide to Bulk Basmati Rice: Grades, Specifications and Packing
By ODOD Sourcing Team · published 2026-09-16 · reviewed for accuracy before publication
Bulk basmati rice is bought by varietal group, 1121, 1509 or traditional, and by processing form, raw, steam, sella or golden sella. The specification should state average grain length, maximum broken, chalky, damaged and admixture percentages, and a moisture cap of 12.5 to 13 % for raw and 13 to 14 % for sella. Standard packing is 25 or 50 kg PP bags, with container payload set by the destination's road limits.
- 1121 basmati averages 8.3 to 8.4 mm uncooked and 18 to 22 mm cooked; 1509 is 8.2 to 8.4 mm and traditional varieties 6.8 to 7.4 mm depending on variety.
- Premium grades allow 1 to 2 % broken; standard grades 5 %; admixture with other rice is usually capped at 5 to 7 %.
- Raw and steam basmati are specified at 12.5 to 13 % moisture; sella is often allowed 14 % but strict buyers cap it at 13 %.
- Ask whether grain length is measured on whole kernels only and how many sortex passes the lot received; both change the effective quality.
- EU checks include default 0.01 mg/kg MRLs for some paddy fungicides, inorganic arsenic at 0.15 mg/kg for polished rice and cadmium at 0.15 mg/kg.
- Gulf and Asian discharge allows 24 to 27 t per box; US and Canadian road limits usually hold legal payload to 17 to 20 t without overweight permits.
What are the main types of basmati rice traded in bulk?
Bulk basmati is traded in three varietal groups, 1121, 1509 and traditional basmati, each offered in raw, steam, sella or golden sella form. Basmati is a long-grain aromatic rice defined by a slender kernel, low stickiness after cooking and a length increase of roughly 1.7 to 2.5 times when cooked. 1121 is the extra-long variety that carries most export volume and restaurant demand. 1509 is a shorter-duration variety with a grain profile close to 1121 at a lower cost base. Traditional basmati is the group of older, shorter-grained varieties bought mainly for aroma. Buyers who need extra-long grain for biryani service usually specify 1121, listed on our site as Chef's Secret extra long aromatic basmati, while private-label and blended programmes often run on 1509 or a declared 1121/1509 mix.
How is basmati rice graded for export?
Basmati is graded on average grain length, broken percentage, processing form and a set of defect tolerances rather than on a single numbered grade. Average grain length (AGL) is the mean length in millimetres of whole milled kernels. Broken grains are kernels shorter than three quarters of a whole kernel. The table shows the ranges most often written into trade contracts. All figures vary by lot, crop year and season; the contractual value is the one on the quotation and the certificate of analysis.
| Parameter | 1121 | 1509 | Traditional |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGL, uncooked raw (mm) | 8.3 to 8.4 | 8.2 to 8.4 | 6.8 to 7.4, depending on variety |
| Cooked length (mm) | 18 to 22 | 16 to 20 | 12 to 15 |
| Broken, premium grade (max %) | 1 to 2 | 1 to 2 | 2 to 5 |
| Broken, standard grade (max %) | 5 | 5 | 5 to 10 |
| Chalky grains (max %) | 1 to 3 | 1 to 3 | 2 to 4 |
| Damaged or discoloured (max %) | 0.5 to 1 | 0.5 to 1 | 1 |
| Other rice admixture (max %) | 5 to 7 | 5 to 7 | 5 to 7 |
| Foreign matter (max %) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Moisture, raw and steam (max %) | 12.5 to 13 | 12.5 to 13 | 12.5 to 13 |
Two points an experienced sourcing manager checks that a generic specification leaves out. First, ask whether AGL is measured on whole kernels only or on the total sample including brokens; the two methods can differ by 0.3 to 0.5 mm on the same lot. Second, ask how many sortex passes the lot received. A colour sorter (sortex) removes chalky, yellow and black-tipped kernels; single-pass rice can carry two to three times the visible defects of double-pass rice at the same headline broken figure.
Raw, steam, sella or golden sella: which form should a buyer choose?
Choose by cooking method and market: raw for aroma and quick cooking, steam for a firmer grain with clear appearance, sella for high-volume catering where grains must not break, and golden sella where the market expects a yellow tint. Raw (white) basmati is milled without heat treatment. Steam basmati is paddy exposed to steam before milling, which hardens the kernel and gives a slightly translucent look. Sella is parboiled: paddy is soaked, steamed under pressure and dried before milling, which gelatinises the starch and gives a creamy colour and a firmer cooked texture. Golden sella is parboiled longer or hotter to a deeper yellow. Many contracts allow sella up to 14 % moisture because the gelatinised kernel is more stable, but stricter buyers and some destination markets still cap parboiled rice at 13 %; write the limit you need into the purchase order rather than accepting the mill default. Sella needs 15 to 20 minutes of cooking against 10 to 12 for raw, so it is unsuitable for kitchens that pre-soak and steam. Husked, unpolished basmati is a small but growing line; see brown rice.
What does a cooking test show that the specification sheet does not?
A cooking test shows elongation, stickiness, aroma and grain integrity, none of which a moisture meter or a broken count can capture. A workable protocol: soak 100 g for 30 minutes, cook in excess water until the centre of the kernel is soft, drain, measure 20 cooked kernels and compare with 20 uncooked kernels from the same sample. An elongation ratio below 1.7, grains that curl or split, or clumping after five minutes of standing point to under-aged rice, high chalk or admixture with a non-basmati variety. Ageing matters because basmati is normally held 12 to 24 months after harvest before milling, and aged rice elongates more and cooks drier. An ageing claim cannot be verified from the bag, so ask for the crop year on the offer and cook-test a sealed pre-shipment sample. Authenticity is tested by DNA-based varietal analysis, which is routine for the UK and EU trade; the UK code of practice on basmati allows a maximum of 7 % non-basmati grains in rice sold under the name. Request a DNA purity report for any lot that will carry a premium label.
What residue and contaminant limits apply to basmati imports?
Pesticide residues, inorganic arsenic and cadmium are the three checks that most often hold a basmati shipment at destination. Several fungicides used on paddy have EU maximum residue limits (MRLs) at the default 0.01 mg/kg, and a lot that clears Gulf or Asian norms can fail EU testing on those compounds alone; request a multi-residue panel from an accredited laboratory run against the destination MRL list before shipment. For inorganic arsenic the EU limit is 0.15 mg/kg for polished non-parboiled rice and 0.25 mg/kg for parboiled and husked rice, with cadmium at 0.15 mg/kg. Other markets set their own limits or none, so state the destination on the enquiry so the analysis panel matches. Aflatoxin is rarely a problem in properly dried rice but some buyers include it in the certificate of analysis. Fumigation at the loading point is standard and is documented on a fumigation certificate.
How is bulk basmati packed and how much fits in a container?
Standard bulk packing is 25 kg or 50 kg woven polypropylene (PP) bags, with 1 to 20 kg retail packs and 1,000 kg jumbo bags available on request. PP woven bags of 80 to 110 gsm, with or without an inner liner, are the default for wholesale. Jute bags of 50 kg still move in some traditional markets but are declining because of hydrocarbon residues from batching oil. BOPP laminated printed bags of 5, 10 and 20 kg and non-woven zipper bags of 1, 2 and 5 kg serve private-label and supermarket programmes. Shelf life is normally declared as 24 months from packing when stored below 70 % relative humidity.
Container payload depends on the discharge country's road rules, not on the container alone. For Gulf, African and Asian ports where loaded boxes move on heavy-duty trailers, a 20 ft container is typically stuffed with 24 to 26 t and a 40 ft with 25 to 27 t, the 40 ft being limited by the box's own payload rating rather than by volume. For the United States and Canada, highway axle limits mean legal payloads without overweight permits are usually 17 to 20 t per box, so shipments are commonly loaded to about 18 to 20 t in a 40 ft, or a 20 ft is moved on a tri-axle chassis. Palletised loading cuts payload by a further 10 to 15 %. For humid routes and transhipment through hot ports, ask for kraft paper or plastic sheet lining and desiccant to limit condensation on the top tier, which is where moisture damage almost always appears first.
Which documents and shipping terms should an importer expect?
ODOD LLC quotes FOB, CIF, CFR and DDP, ships FCL and LCL with consolidation worldwide, and confirms the port of loading on the quotation. Typical minimum order is 500 kg for consolidated shipments up to one full container for single-grade programmes; the exact MOQ depends on the pack format. Standard documents are the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, fumigation certificate and a certificate of analysis covering moisture, broken, AGL, chalky, damaged and admixture. Residue reports, health certificates and DNA purity reports are added where the destination or the buyer specifies them. Copies of our US FDA registration, ISO, Halal, HACCP and GMP certificates are provided with each quotation, and the country of origin is stated on the quotation and on the shipping documents. Specification options for each varietal group and processing form are listed on the basmati rice product page.
To source bulk basmati, send the variety, processing form, broken and moisture limits, pack size and destination port, and request a quotation. Prices depend on grade, quantity and destination, and we return a specification sheet with the offer so the parameters above can be compared line by line.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between 1121 and 1509 basmati?
- 1121 is the extra-long export variety, averaging 8.3 to 8.4 mm uncooked and 18 to 22 mm cooked, and it dominates restaurant biryani demand. 1509 is a shorter-duration variety at 8.2 to 8.4 mm uncooked with slightly lower elongation and a lower cost base. Grain length varies by lot and crop year, so the contractual figure should appear on the certificate of analysis.
- Should I buy raw, steam or sella basmati for a catering customer?
- Sella (parboiled) is the usual choice for high-volume catering because the gelatinised kernel resists breaking and clumping during holding, though it needs 15 to 20 minutes to cook. Raw gives the strongest aroma and cooks in 10 to 12 minutes. Steam sits between the two, firmer than raw with a clear appearance. Golden sella suits markets that expect a yellow tint.
- How much moisture is acceptable in bulk basmati rice?
- Raw and steam basmati are typically specified at a maximum of 12.5 to 13 %. Sella is often allowed up to 14 % because parboiling stabilises the kernel, but many importers and some destination markets still cap parboiled rice at 13 %. Write the limit into the purchase order and check the top tier of the container first, where condensation damage appears.
- How do I check that the rice is genuine basmati and properly aged?
- Request a DNA-based varietal purity report; the UK code of practice allows no more than 7 % non-basmati grains. Ageing of 12 to 24 months cannot be seen on the bag, so ask for the crop year and run a cooking test on a sealed pre-shipment sample. An elongation ratio below 1.7, curling or clumping indicates under-aged or adulterated rice.
- How many tonnes of basmati fit in a 20 ft or 40 ft container?
- It depends on the discharge country. For Gulf, African and Asian ports a 20 ft is typically loaded with 24 to 26 t and a 40 ft with 25 to 27 t. For the United States and Canada, highway axle limits usually hold legal payloads to 17 to 20 t per box without overweight permits, so a 40 ft is loaded to about 18 to 20 t. Palletising reduces payload by 10 to 15 %.
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