For all of New Delhi's efforts, feeding India's 1.2 billion people still presents an enormous challenge. And when India, one of the world's leading agricultural producers, makes policy shifts to adjust to its own domestic concerns, very often the effects can be felt beyond its borders. The Geopolitical World of Rice Rice is one of the pillars of the global food supply , following wheat and maize. Unlike other grains, however, rice is not a fungible commodity because of the wide variation in rice varieties and country preferences. It is also unique compared to other globally traded grains, as it is the grain most commonly consumed in a milled rather than processed form; most wheat production eventually is used as bread or pasta, and maize is used for a variety of products from animal feed to sweeteners to fuel.