Is it possible to eat rice without having to cook it? Yes indeed, the soft rice varieties grown across Assam and the North-East, are ready to eat after they are soaked in plain water.

Soft rice, as it is called, takes 45 minutes if soaked in normal water and if the water is lukewarm, it is ready in 15 minutes. However, it is a low-yielding crop that grows only in a cool climate.

But now scientists at the Central Rice Research Institute in Cuttack have developed a new variant of soft rice that can be grown in Orissa where temperature and humidity levels are high.

"We wanted to see whether the same rice can be grown here and retain the same properties. We saw it behaves the same way. Just simply soak it in water and the rice is ready to eat but the quality of water has to be clean and potable. The idea is to avoid any waterborne disease," said Dr Tapan Kumar Adhya, director at CRRI.

This rice variety takes 145 days to grow and the yield is as high as 4 to 5 tons per hectare. Scientists hope the new variety will be well received by farmers.

"We are spreading the message among farmers that it has got this property. And once they see that potential, they will take it up on their own," Adhya said.

In Orissa where 'pakhal' or cooked rice fermented in water is a hot favourite, the soft rice is expected to be a hit. It's environment-friendly and will save a huge amount of fuel and time.