The rice fields of Balzola and organic

Balzola - In Balzola, and throughout the province of Alessandria, one of the main crops is that of rice. On the other hand, rice is a typically Italian excellence. In Europe, the Italian rice field is considered the most important. Every year from 220 to 230 thousand hectares of rice land are cultivated, but it is not just the quantity that makes the excellence.

It is also necessary to take into account the high quality of the product, in all its variants. Unfortunately, however, there are some problems to be addressed. The first is related to the climate, which sometimes makes harvesting difficult. The second is linked to competition from Southeast Asian countries which, by importing low-priced rice, make competition difficult to beat. So many rice farmers have dedicated themselves to organic farming. Organic production means eliminating synthetic fertilizers and active ingredients to return to a more natural type of processing. For example, to remove weeds, the ancient practice of cleaning by hand is used.