Pasta and pizza are still the undisputed rulers of the Italian cuisine, however, rice is beginning to carve itself a comfortable spot among Italy’s favorite staples. Thanks to a 52.5% share in the European market (2018), Italy is by far the largest rice producer in Europe.

As a matter of fact, 85% of the European demand for sushi rice is satisfied by Italy alone. According to Ente Nazionale Risi, in the 2017/2018 period, Italy exported a total of 671,000 tonnes (+5%) of rice, for a total value of 510 million euro (+2.6%). France, Germany and the UK are still the main destination markets, with a combined share just shy of 50%.