Rice Cultivation in the E.U. Ecological Conditions and Agronomical Practices

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the rice cultivation in the EU ecological conditions and agronomical practices. The rice production originated from all these countries together accounts for more than three quarters of the total world production. Rice is grown in at least 114 countries with a total production of about 610 million metric tonnes. It has been estimated that rice has fed more people over a longer period than any other crop. One-half of the world population and virtually all of East and Southeast Asia are entirely dependent upon rice. The introduction of rice in the Mediterranean European countries has long been debated. This plant came first in the North African regions from the East through an unusual series of leaps and bounds, thanks to its incredible capacity to adapt itself to different and variable environmental conditions. In the European Union rice is at present cultivated in about 410,000 ha, mostly located in the Mediterranean countries. The top two rice producers that together contribute more than 80% of the total rice production in Europe are Italy and Spain. Rice is not a staple food for most of the European population; nevertheless, rice consumption in the continent has increased in the last few years due to immigration and diversification of the diet of the Europeans.