Rice fortification is a cost-effective and culturally appropriate strategy to address micronutrient deficiency in countries with high per capita rice consumption. According to the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, India’s rice production increased at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 1.43% between 2005–06 and 2016–17. India was the second leading rice producer, followed by Indonesia and Bangladesh in 2015–16.

Fortifying rice makes it more nutritious by adding essential vitamins and minerals in the post-harvest phase—many of which are lost during the milling and polishing process.