“No water to start the campaign”
“The climate situation is worrying, there is a severe drought and there is no water to start the rice campaign”. This is what Andrea Baltera, an agricultural entrepreneur from Masserano, in the province of Biella, affirms to Adnkronos, where he produces various varieties of fine rice, such as Carnaroli, Sant’Andrea and Baldo rice, three Dop di Baraggia.
“The year won’t be easy, the investment in rice this year will be lower – underlines Baltera – there is no water and we are in suspense looking at the sky every day, today it is snowing but tomorrow who knows what will happen.. “after all, the water in our area comes directly from Monte Rosa and if there is no snow or rain, the water for our rice will not be sufficient. In addition to the climatic issue, the reservoirs that exist are not sufficient – he explains – to have sufficient reserves to grow rice, because as we know, it is a crop that requires a lot of water”.
His testimony therefore confirms the alarm raised in recent days by agricultural organizations who estimate a sharp reduction in rice production for this year, probably 8,000 hectares less, the minimum for thirty years. As for a conversion of rice cultivation to other plantations, Baltera does not believe that it is a viable way for the agricultural cooperative La Baraggia given that “it is very difficult to change crops on these lands”.
Source-www.adnkronos.com