What Broken Percentage Means
Broken percentage is the proportion of broken kernels by weight relative to total milled rice in a lot. A 5% grade contains a maximum of 5 kilos of broken kernels per 100 kilos of finished rice. A broken kernel is any grain shorter than three-quarters of the average whole grain length. Mills control broken percentage through paddy moisture, husker speed, polisher pressure, and the final color-sorter pass.
Buyers comparing Indian IR64 broken grades will find the same 5/10/15/25/100% structure on IRRI-6 from Pakistan. The grading framework is global, not country-specific.
The Five Standard Grades
IRRI-6 ships in five standard broken grades plus a Fan Cleaned variant of the 25% grade. Each grade has its own price band, end use, and destination market profile.
| Grade | Broken % | FOB $/MT | Top Markets | End Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5% Broken | Max 5% | 360-380 | Kenya, Tanzania, China, CIS | Premium retail, food service |
| 10% Broken | Max 10% | 356-376 | East Africa, Mozambique | Mid-range retail |
| 15% Broken | Max 15% | 352-372 | East Africa, West Africa | Commodity retail |
| 25% Broken | Max 25% | 335-355 | West Africa, Mozambique | Commodity staple |
| 25% Fan Cleaned | Max 25% | 325-345 | West Africa | Budget commodity |
| 100% Broken | All broken | 315-335 | Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Senegal, Guinea | Staple food, porridge, flour |
Why Lower Broken Costs More
Three factors drive the price gradient. First, color sorting yields. A Sortex pass removing 3% of input as rejects to hit 5% broken target wastes more raw paddy than the same pass yielding 25% broken output. Second, paddy quality. Premium 5% lots come from fields with better water management and harvest timing. Third, demand. African and CIS retail buyers pay more per ton because the bag sits on a shelf, not in a porridge pot.
Sortex vs Fan Cleaned
Two cleaning technologies determine the final appearance of a 25% broken lot.
Sortex (electronic color sorting): Optical sorters scan each kernel and eject discolored, chalky, and foreign material based on RGB values. The output is uniformly white, visually clean, and ready for retail bagging. Cost premium: $10/MT.
Fan Cleaned: Air-gravity separation removes lighter material such as husks, chaff, and dust but does not sort by color. The output retains some chalky and discolored kernels. Acceptable for commodity bulk markets where price beats appearance. The fan-cleaned 25% grade serves West African wholesale buyers who later resell at neighborhood markets.
100% Broken: A Staple Food, Not a Byproduct
100% broken rice is a deliberately produced commodity, not waste. Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau import 100% broken rice as their primary staple grain. Consumers prefer it because broken kernels absorb sauces faster, cook softer, and suit traditional dishes such as thieboudienne and mafe. The grain is uniformly small, similar in size to bulgur, with even texture across the bag.
Mills route the breakage from 5%, 10%, 15%, and 25% production lines into a dedicated 100% broken stream. The product is then bagged in 50 kg PP woven sacks, ready for shipment to Mauritanian importers in Nouakchott, Freetown, Banjul, Dakar, and Conakry. Trade flows to Chinese rice flour mills also pull a meaningful share of 100% broken volume. Read the West Africa importing guide for country-by-country detail.
How Buyers Choose Their Grade
Four selection criteria drive grade choice. First, price sensitivity. A drop from 5% to 25% saves about $25-30/MT, or roughly 7% of cargo value. Second, end use. Retail bag goods need 5-10%; institutional food service tolerates 15-25%; broken-rice porridge needs 100%. Third, import regulation. Some destinations specify maximum broken in their food safety standards. Fourth, consumer preference. West African buyers specifically prefer broken rice; selling them 5% would mismatch the local cooking method.
Mixed-Grade Containers
IRRI-6 minimum order is 5 x 20' FCL. Buyers commonly split that order across multiple broken grades in a single booking. A typical mixed booking might run 2 FCL of 5% broken for retail, 2 FCL of 25% broken for wholesale, and 1 FCL of 100% broken for the porridge market. Mills load each grade in dedicated containers; mixing inside one container is uncommon and requires advance planning.
Quality Beyond Broken Percentage
Broken percentage is the headline number, but moisture, chalk, and foreign matter matter too. Pakistan IRRI-6 ships at 13.5% maximum moisture and 5% maximum chalky kernels across all grades. Pre-shipment inspection by SGS, Bureau Veritas, or Intertek verifies these specs before vessel loading. See the pre-shipment inspection guide for what gets checked.
Get a Quote
For grade-specific pricing across all five broken grades, see the current IRRI-6 FOB price sheet or send an RFQ for a mixed-grade container. For broader Pakistan rice grade context across basmati and other non-basmati varieties, see the Pakistan rice grades explained reference.