- Most believe the roots of rice come from 3000 BC India. - Rice is a grain belonging to the grass family. This plant needs both warmth and moisture to grow. - Rice is consumed by nearly one-half of the entire world population and many countries, like Asia, are completely dependent on rice as a staple food. - Rice is one of the few foods in the world which is entirely non-allergenic and gluten-free. Today, rice is grown and harvested on every continent except Antarctica, where conditions make its growth impossible. The majority of all rice produced comes from India, China, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, and Bangladesh. Asian farmers still account for 92-percent of the world's total rice production. More than 550 million tons of rice is produced annually around the globe.