Standards specify what a product or service is and they contain the definition of what is appropriate for each level of the product or service. These specifications ensure that when people discuss a product or service they are speaking a common language and they have a common understanding of what standards are appropriate. With rice, these standards ensure that when people are discussing rice they can have a common understanding of the terms being used and of the standards that various rice qualities must reach. Standards are developed at a national level in many countries and the International Organization for Standardization publishes standards for international use.

The International Organization for Standardization [ISO] is a network of national standards institutes from 140 countries working in partnership with international organizations, governments, industry, business and consumer representatives. The organization is a bridge between the public and private sectors. This organization develops and sponsors standards that are used internationally.

Standards are documented agreements containing technical specifications or other precise criteria to be used consistently as rules, guidelines or definitions of characteristics to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose. International standards thus contribute to making life simpler, and to increasing the reliability and effectiveness of the goods and services we use.

ISO standards are developed using the following principles:

Consensus: The views of all interests are taken into account: manufacturers, vendors and users, consumer groups, testing laboratories, governments, engineering professions and research organizations.

Industry-wide: Global solutions to satisfy industries and customers worldwide.

Voluntary: International standardization is market-driven and therefore based on voluntary involvement of all interests in the market-place.

To date, ISO's work has resulted in some 12,000 International Standards, representing more than 300,000 pages in English and French. Further information about the ISO can be obtained at http://www.iso.ch.

Many people associated with rice farming, production and sale benefit from the existence of standards: consumers, producers, distributors and Governments. The consumer can be guaranteed that when a batch of rice is classified in a market that classification has a definite meaning which is monitored by the authorities. Rice producers benefit because they are aware of the standards that their rice must reach to be able to be sold in certain ways - their ability to reach the higher levels of classification mean more income from their harvest.

Distributors can use the standards to ensure that they buy standards of rice at an appropriate price and can then sell it at the same level of classification. The Government benefits because its local rice industry provides better quality rice to the consumers and it is able to develop an export industry when it knows the standards required by other countries.

To view the official ISO document that defines standards for rice, click here.