Offering the European market over half of its annual production, Italy has maintained its leading position as the major producer and trader in the Europe region. The extent of rice production in Italy holds significance, as around two-thirds of the regional demand is fulfilled by domestic production, wherein a majority of rice varieties cultivated belong to the japonica group. Local special varieties are highly regarded in the region due to their local origin and the environment-friendly specification of the cropping practices. 

At an annual production of 1.3 million tons, Italy is Europe’s leading producer and a major Non-Asian producer globally. Rice is mainly grown in areas with better water availability between Piedmont and Lombardy. Per capita annual consumption is at 6-18 kg in the country. Italy and Spain are the major rice growing countries, accounting for 80% of the total EU production. Other rice growing areas are Greece, Portugal, France, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. The region depends on imports for specialty long grain indica rice such as basmati and jasmine from India and Pakistan. Europe imported around 0.66 million tons in 2015-16 from Cambodia (24%), India (23%), Thailand (18%), Guyana (11%), and Pakistan (10%). France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark and the United Kingdom are the major rice trading countries in the region. A small quantity of japonica rice is also exported from the region, mainly from Italy.

The rice demand and production in Italy is growing at a steady pace, as the annual demand for Europe is expected to be stable at around 3.2 million tons during the next five years. At annual revenue of EUR 1 billion, the country has also emerged as the single largest exporter of japonica rice from Europe. Out of the total production, 0.3 million tons of Italian rice is exported to other countries of the European Union and 0.45 million tons are consumed within the country. On the price front, there have been strong increments in the EU rice market over the last year, with prices hovering at above average levels. Overall, the sentiment for the rice market is moderate in terms of market demand and production for the next five years.

The Italian rice crop market report covers the following information –

• Crop production
• Country consumption
• Country trade (export-import) scenario and statistics
• Price trend and seasonality of the crop
• Future outlook of the crop market

Stakeholders who would benefit -

• Crop growers
• Enterprises providing agricultural inputs
• Crop processing companies
• Crop importers and exporters
• Investors/research institutions interested in the crop market