Rice in Europe

[The Lawspeaker]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/RiceYield.png

Rice is now being grown in the South of Europe. Mainly in Southern France, Spain, parts of Greece and along the flood plains of the River Po in Italy.

Would it be desirable and possible to spread it throughout other parts of Europe in order to become more self-sufficient ? And where would it be possible ?

http://img1.eyefetch.com/p/iv/789566-9c88cce5-c5cf-483d-becb-258dff73060el.jpg
Rice fields in Spain.

[Fortis in Arduis]

Europe has grown rice for a long time already, so we can do it, I prefer rice to any other grain.

Grow it wherever possible in preference to other carbo-foods, why not?

[The Lawspeaker]

Europe has grown rice for a long time already.
Yes. But not in any really significant quantities and we have to import a lot and since we have the problems with French farmers I thought: well.. what it would be possible for those in the South to look for new crops like rice ?

Anything to ween them off the tit of the European Union.

[O Argonauta]

Portugal has always produced and consumed rice since rice is part of the traditional gastronomy here. Its one of the few crops where there is some degree of self-suficiency. There are only 3 relatively small rice-growing areas in Portugal all in the lower flood plains of 3 rivers.

Portuguese rice dishes:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P5wJTKJjzug/TQagNXL09RI/AAAAAAAADT0/H2242a76-PM/s1600/Arroz-de-Marisco.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Lampreia_%28lamprey%29.jpg/703px-Lampreia_%28lamprey%29.jpg

http://0.tqn.com/d/goeurope/1/0/z/A/2/schist-villages-food-2.jpg

Portuguese rice cake:
http://www.delicedefrance.co.uk/res/?s=Njk4NS1QT1JUVUdFU0UtQ0FLRV9XRUIuanBnfGNvbnRlbnQ uaW5zaWRlfGltYWdlfGltYWdl

[Comte Arnau]

Well, in the Catalan Lands it's been grown for ages. Or don't you know paella? :) (Which even if sold to you as a 'national Spanish dish', lol, it's actually a Catalan one, typical in the South of Catalonia and Valencia, where most rice is grown.) Paella simply means 'frying pan' in Catalan. Oh, and it's pronounced pa-EH-lya, not paYEla. :p


The Ebro Delta, a land of rice, in the deep South of Catalonia.

http://turisme-web.agilecontents.com/mds/multimedia/3477/F1

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OCgUYrodTj4/THE3eeLpBnI/AAAAAAAAAEk/knG7l4UA1pM/s1600/arrossar.jpg

http://www.gencat.cat/big/img/852/BIG_852383413100209_00.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rK3lo85zzxA/TIUp6CxOmRI/AAAAAAAAA4c/2NXL1wAIoLU/s1600/Delta_Ebre_1_low.jpg

http://www.directe.cat/imatges/acn/508780.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2638/4004065417_262e18ca14.jpg

http://estamiasociacion.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/paella1.jpg

[poiuytrewq0987]

Rice is also popular in the Balkans and is part of a lot of dishes such sarma for example. We grow the best tasting rice compared to other regions of Europe like Italy.

[Groenewolf]

Would it not require a high amount of water to grow?

[Bloodeagle]

Would it not require a high amount of water to grow?
Yes, it also requires a fair amount of heat to grow, this is why it is only grown from the tropics to the warmer parts of the temperate regions.
Until an extremely cold hardy variety of rice is developed, wheat, barley and oats will remain the staple grains of the north country.

[The Lawspeaker]

Would it not require a high amount of water to grow?
I don't think that we lack that in large parts of Europe. :D And there are good ways to conserve water these days.




Yes, it also requires a fair amount of heat to grow, this is why it is only grown from the tropics to the warmer parts of the temperate regions.
The climate in large parts of Southern France would be suitable then. Including along parts of the Rhone Valley. There are also certain strains growing in Northern Japan and even Mongolia.

[Bloodeagle]

The climate in large parts of Southern France would be suitable then. Including along parts of the Rhone Valley. There are also certain strains growing in Northern Japan and even Mongolia.


If rice can grow around Sapporo then I think it would grow fine in Holland.:D

[The Lawspeaker]

If rice can grow around Sapporo then I think it would grow fine in Holland.:D
Exactly. That's what I was thinking too.

[Crossbow]

Yes, it also requires a fair amount of heat to grow, this is why it is only grown from the tropics to the warmer parts of the temperate regions.
Until an extremely cold hardy variety of rice is developed, wheat, barley and oats will remain the staple grains of the north country.

And I think that'll do. Personally, I'm not so fond of rice, and aside from the above mentioned you could add buckwheat and millet. But I guess I am a minority here.

[Albion]

Rice has been grown in Italy for centuries.


Would it be desirable and possible to spread it throughout other parts of Europe in order to become more self-sufficient ? And where would it be possible ?

Well I'm not sure how hardy it is, likely we'd have to find hardier strains from China and then develop them even further.
Generally speaking it is not a good idea, it uses massive amounts of water and would need more southern areas of Europe to thrive - the drier areas. It would also require terraces and paddies to be constructed.

On the plus side, many fish species thrive in rice paddies. If our native species would is debatable, many of the species in Asia have adapt to be able to breath oxygen when water levels are low (i.e. Siamese Fighting Fish).

The perfect place for it is the Danube Delta if you'd be ready to destroy one of the most important wetland habitats of Europe.


Yes. But not in any really significant quantities and we have to import a lot and since we have the problems with French farmers I thought: well.. what it would be possible for those in the South to look for new crops like rice ?

Anything to ween them off the tit of the European Union.

Problem is it's cheaper to just import it from Asia.

[The Lawspeaker]

Problem is it's cheaper to just import it from Asia.
Maybe for now but European countries should really work on being more independent from foreign imports. :)

[arcticwolf]

Oops my bad! I thought this said Race in Europe. I shouldn't be smoking weed and posting. :D

[Albion]

Maybe for now but European countries should really work on being more independent from foreign imports. :)

Indeed, but I need to find some statistics. We really need to be growing staple foods on a large and efficient scale. Staple crops which can output a lot of food and plenty of calories and nutrients are what is needed.

All other crops should play second fiddle to staples, staples are what people survive on, the rest are ones people just like to eat.
So really what I'am saying is that we need to be outputting large amounts of staple crops and we should be favouring them over less efficient crops.

If I was starving in a famine I'd actually be much more pleased to come across an acre of potatoes or wheat than a acre of strawberries or tomatoes. An acre of potatoes can output 25 to 30 tonnes (on average) of potatoes, tomatoes and especially strawberries would be much lower.

Maybe this is the survivalist part of me speaking but we really need to become as self-sufficient nations as possible. If we can be self sufficient in staple crops and nothing else then that is good enough for me. Britain is (wheat, other grains, potatoes, most meat).
Non-staples are important too, but not the priority.

Rice is a staple crop but I'm not sure about its efficiency, output, calories or cold hardiness so I'll have to look into it.
It does have the potential for secondary products as well though, in Asia they often farm fish alongside the growing rice.

Rice is also bad from an environmental point of view, it takes up wetlands and releases a lot of "swamp gasses" (mostly methane and CO2) from the rotting matter in the water. On saying that, rice paddies would probably create more wetlands in countries such as this where so many have been drained.
A potential site for it would be the Somerset Levels (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset_levels). This was reclaimed like Fenland but not as well and subsequently floods every winter. It is only useful for seasonal pasture and will likely be abandoned to the rivers in the future. Rice farming would be the perfect use for it and would create nice breeding grounds for fish.

[2Cool]

Portugal has always produced and consumed rice since rice is part of the traditional gastronomy here. Its one of the few crops where there is some degree of self-suficiency. There are only 3 relatively small rice-growing areas in Portugal all in the lower flood plains of 3 rivers.

Portuguese rice dishes:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P5wJTKJjzug/TQagNXL09RI/AAAAAAAADT0/H2242a76-PM/s1600/Arroz-de-Marisco.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Lampreia_%28lamprey%29.jpg/703px-Lampreia_%28lamprey%29.jpg

http://0.tqn.com/d/goeurope/1/0/z/A/2/schist-villages-food-2.jpg

Portuguese rice cake:
http://www.delicedefrance.co.uk/res/?s=Njk4NS1QT1JUVUdFU0UtQ0FLRV9XRUIuanBnfGNvbnRlbnQ uaW5zaWRlfGltYWdlfGltYWdl

Yup. Portugal is by far the begins consumer of rice in Europe.

[The Lawspeaker]

I still think that we should look for places in Europe where we could grow more rice so we become less dependent on imports and it could be fantastic if the countries of Europe would actually become exporters.

[Talvi]

I still think that we should look for places in Europe where we could grow more rice so we become less dependent on imports and it could be fantastic if the countries of Europe would actually become exporters.

:( Europeans arent meant to eat huge amounts of rice.

Oh and not Europe but I heard a lot of Japans rice comes from the US.
In Japanese the US is written with the symbols rice and country.

[The Lawspeaker]

:( Europeans arent meant to eat huge amounts of rice.
That's right.. but we could always export it. You know: pecunia non olet. ;) I think that the Common Market should try to know America's competition on the side.


Oh and not Europe but I heard a lot of Japans rice comes from the US.
In Japanese the US is written with the symbols rice and country.
And that is because the US has ample space while Japan hasn't. So they have to import. Now we should try to knock America on the side and take over. :thumbs up

[Quorra]

Rice is gay.

[The Lawspeaker]

Rice is gay.

Rice is food. Food is money.

[Dacul]

Actually rice is pretty nice.
In Romania there is some way of cooking chicken with rice and other things.
Is a very tasty food.
You can make also veg rice with mushrooms or so.
For scandinavians and baltic countries,rice might be a very good food,cooked with fish - especially with cod (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cod) but not only with that fish.
But I do not know if rice can be produced in other places than Denmark from nordish countries,it might be too cold in Norway - in Sweden might be possible to produce no idea about Baltic countries.

[morski]

Rice is food. Food is money.

Rice isn't food. It's the food of the real food.:)

[Supreme American]

And that is because the US has ample space while Japan hasn't. So they have to import. Now we should try to knock America on the side and take over. :thumbs up

I don't think much of the US landmass is suited to growing rice. Most of it is probably grown in Hawaii.

EDIT: I'll be damned. They've been growing rice in some southern US states since the 19th century. Eastern Arkansas in specific. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice#United_States) In flying over it, it just looks like green patches of farms and trees. I don't know how to spot a rice farm in specific, if there is such a thing.

As far as taking over, bring it, buddy.

ol5Dfs7jqFI

[The Lawspeaker]

I don't think much of the US landmass is suited to growing rice. Most of it is probably grown in Hawaii.

EDIT: I'll be damned. They've been growing rice in some southern US states since the 19th century. Eastern Arkansas in specific. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice#United_States) In flying over it, it just looks like green patches of farms and trees. I don't know how to spot a rice farm in specific, if there is such a thing.

The same thing could be done in parts of Southern France. In Italy it is already grown and the same goes for Spain and Portugal. Maybe even in some parts of Britain and since we have the Common Market we then no longer need to import here and we could actually become an exporter.

[Supreme American]

The same thing could be done in parts of Southern France. In Italy it is already grown and the same goes for Spain and Portugal. Maybe even in some parts of Britain and since we have the Common Market we then no longer need to import here and we could actually become an exporter.

I'm surprised they don't grow it in Florida.

[The Lawspeaker]

I'm surprised they don't grow it in Florida.

Same here. It's perfect rice growing land. The French grow some in the Camargue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camargue) which can be compared to Florida (just slightly less tropical and less warm).

[Supreme American]

Same here. It's perfect rice growing land. The French grow some in the Camargue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camargue) which can be compared to Florida (just slightly less tropical and less warm).

I don't think any climate in Europe compares to Florida. Florida is subtropical, and when you get toward Miami, some climatologists call it tropical. In the summer the air is very wet and heavy and you can smell the sea well inland.

If rice can be grown in Arkansas, though, perhaps then Camargue. I get the impression Camargue winters are more harsh.

[The Lawspeaker]

I don't think any climate in Europe compares to Florida. Florida is subtropical, and when you get toward Miami, some climatologists call it tropical. In the summer the air is very wet and heavy and you can smell the sea well inland.

If rice can be grown in Arkansas, though, perhaps then Camargue. I get the impression Camargue winters are more harsh.
By my knowledge the winters in Southern France are harsher than in Florida but in Japan there are hardy strains that make it possible to grow rice basically all over the country apart from the far north and in the U.S.A there seem be some tests (http://news.yahoo.com/vermont-farmer-experiments-cold-hardy-rice-071632801.html) as well. South and North Korea also grow rice and they are also not very warm during winter. So maybe rice could be grown basically all the way up to the Loire in France and possibly further up north.

[Quorra]

No offense Tuan, but this whole idea is a little crackpot.:p

[The Lawspeaker]

No offense Tuan, but this whole idea is a little crackpot.:p

Not really. As I said: food is money. There is already a food shortage in this world so we could start cashing. A lot of farmers (particularly French farmers) have been on the EU subsidy breast for the past 30 years so when we could start experimenting with growing products that the market actually needs... then it will save us a lot of tax money. So it's not crackpot at all: it's actually smart since it would make Europe more self-sufficient, encourage farmers to be more ingenious, actually turn Europe into an exporter, get people off the subsidy tit and increase our own food stocks. It should not just be rice: instead of fighting that hopeless war on drugs we should start growing cannabis in greenhouses for export and also look at other subtropical and tropical products that we can grow in greenhouses. The Common Market should be less dependent on import.

[The Lawspeaker]

Vermont farmer experiments with cold-hardy rice

FERRISBURGH, Vt. (AP) — Erik Andrus considers himself a beer and bread man, but he's had limited success growing high quality grains on his sometimes soggy swath of Vermont farmland. This spring, in an effort to turn a liability into an asset, he switched focus and began experimenting with rice.

On one damp acre, he and a friend used an excavator to carve out two rice paddies, a reservoir and canals. Heavy spring rains filled the paddies, where Andrus has planted cold-hardy rice. A drain on one side allows him to regulate the water level in the paddies, and a pump pulls more water when needed from the reservoir.

He's hoping to harvest 4,000 pounds of rice this year, and if all goes well, he'll expand in an effort that could be a model for New England farmers looking for new sources of revenue.

"I have, like I guess you would say, a strong cultural allegiance to wheat and barley," said Andrus, 39, of Ferrisburgh. "I love bread, and I love beer more than I love a plate of brown rice and a glass of sake — but if my inclination says bread, and the land says rice I have to listen to what the land says."
Andrus' effort comes as farmers in Vermont's dairy country seek more options, and as New England states seek ways to boost local food production and make the region more self-sufficient should disasters ranging from massive snow storms to terrorist attacks make it difficult or even impossible to bring in food. There's also been growing interest in locally grown food nationwide, and many states are looking at agriculture as a growth industry.
Andrus and his wife bought Boundbrook Farm in 2005 and added a bakery two years later. He's still experimenting with grains but rice became the priority after he took a workshop in February on growing cold-hardy rice. He remains one of the few farmers in the region to actually attempt it.

Anna McClung, research leader for the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center in Arkansas, said the first couple to try it — Andrus' teachers — were "really thinking out of the box."

Most rice produced in the U.S. is grown in semi-tropical conditions in the South. Arkansas produces half the country's rice in an area where typical temperatures range from the 70s to 90s, and it's also grown in California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. But rice is a versatile crop, thought to have originated near the Himalayas and grown in cold areas of Japan and China as well as the tropics.

Most of the cold-hardy varieties that can withstand lows in the 40s are short-grain, Japanese-style rice. Whole Systems Design LLC in Warren has been growing short-grain brown rice in paddies carved out of a hillside for three years. Its website describes the rice as an "exciting, climate-change adaptable staple crop."

Andrus figures he needs to sell his for $2 per pound to cover his costs. The price is more than people would pay at large grocery chains but competitive with specialty stores.

In the South, farmers put their rice right into the ground using machines, or sometimes even distribute the seed by plane, he said. That won't work in Vermont, where the springs are too cold. Instead, Andrus started 50,000 rice plants in a hoop house, which is like a greenhouse with plastic sides, and later transplanted the young seedlings into his paddies.

The freshman class from a local high school helped move the young plants, which look life tufts of long grass. Andrus, who spent a year in Japan in 2000, said he was inspired by the way transplanting rice by hand is a community building activity there and he hoped to replicate that on his farm.

"The kids all had a good experience, and you know, it broadened their view of what agriculture in Vermont can be," he said.

In the fall, the paddies will be drained and the rice harvested with a horse-drawn reaper binder, which cuts and bundles the plants and is a green alternative to the small combines more often used. After the rice is dried and threshed, it will be processed, with a $2,200 rice huller Andrus ordered from China. One reason more people don't grow rice is the lack of ability to process it, he said.

A local health food store has already promised to buy some of his harvest, and the rest will be sold at farmers' markets and to members of a community supported agriculture farm in Massachusetts, who pay ahead for produce and other products provided throughout the season. While his farm can't compare to the hundred- and thousand-acre rice farms in the South, he hopes to expand his paddy system to 5 acres and hopes rice will be a way for the smaller farms in the Northeast to diversify and make money while improving the environment.

The paddies provide a habitat for birds and amphibians, and the rice acts as a living filter, removing nitrogen and phosphorus from the water supply, he said. And, while the paddy system requires an investment, he figures it's worth it because it takes his worst, wet property and transforms it into potentially his most profitable.

"The rice takes that hindrance and makes it into an asset," he said.


Source: Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/vermont-farmer-experiments-cold-hardy-rice-071632801.html) (Mon, Jul 18, 2011)