- Rice is the third most widely-produced cereal in the world after maize and wheat.
- In Spain, the average rice consumption is 7 kilos per person per year.
- Spain produces around 720,000 tonnes of rice per year.
Some 15% of Spain’s rice production comes from the Valencian Community, especially the area around the Albufera, Pego and Oliva, and at the mouth of the River Xúquer. - There are 110,000 ha of land devoted to growing rice in Spain, of which more than 15,000 ha are found in the Valencian Community (14,624 ha in the counties of Valencia).
- More than 116,672 tonnes of rice are produced in the Valencian Community, of which 114,521 come from our region.
- The Valencian Community has always been the cradle of rice production in Spain, having been introduced by the Arabs in the 8th century.
- Within our region, Sueca and the areas around the Albufera have the most long-standing rice growing tradition, which dates back some 1,200 years.
- The varieties of rice in Valencia with a Designation of Origin are: Sènia, Bomba and Albufera.
- A total of 13 plants produce Valencia D.O. rice and more than 4.5 million kilos are sold every year.
- For centuries, dozens of towns in the Valencian Community have engaged in traditional rice cultivation, with the unique claim that it was once the only place in Western Europe where rice was planted.
- Rice exports from the Valencian Community to the European Union in 2015 were 76,000 tonnes.
- Rice export to the rest of countries amount to around 25,000 tonnes per year / is around.
- The value of exports to the European Union exceeds 45,000 thousand euros.
- The value of exports of rice to other countries ascended to 17,902 thousand euros.