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Giuseppe, the rice supplier

MEET GIUSEPPE

Category Manager Maartje Eenhoorn is responsible for our rice category. During one of her supplier visits, she takes us along to Italy. There, she visits Giuseppe, one of our organic rice farmers. This is his story.

01/01

SETTING FOOT ON ITALIAN SOIL

"As I make my way to our meeting and drive through the Italian rice fields, I’m curious and excited to learn more about organic rice farming. We’re going to have lunch together first before Giuseppe shows me his land. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from an organic rice farmer, but Giuseppe certainly didn’t fit that image. He’s young, energetic and part of the youngest generation in a family that has been farming organically for generations. What’s more, he holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Agricultural Sciences. ‘He’s not just a farmer, but also a scientist,’ says Category Manager Maartje.

She continues: “Giuseppe explains how he uses science to optimise his yields every season. He works with specific types of bacteria, algae and fungi that ensure an efficient and controlled supply of nutrients to the plants. At the same time, these organisms help to prevent harmful microorganisms, such as rice blast.”

Giuseppe has recently started using drip irrigation in his rice fields, combined with sensors in the field. Thanks to this advanced system, he can water his crops so precisely that he uses up to 80 per cent less water than with traditional irrigation methods.

A GLANCE AT THE FIELD

Giuseppe is currently also working on a method whereby rice plants are first grown in a nursery until they reach a certain height. Only then are they transplanted into the rice fields.
 
This approach ensures that the young plants are strong enough to compete with weeds. It also helps to save water. Although this technique is already being used on a smaller scale in parts of Asia, where the plots are more compact than in Italy, Giuseppe still needs the right machinery to apply this system on a larger scale in his own fields.
 
After lunch, Maartje and Giuseppe get into his bright yellow Fiat Panda 4x4 and drive out to the fields. There, he shows her the cows that provide the manure for his fields, the bees that help pollinate his crops, and the drip irrigation system he mentioned earlier.
Beehives next to the field
Rice on the fields

DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER

Giuseppe takes her past various crops and explains in detail the methods he uses to look after his land and maximise his yields. He also shows her the rice fields, where the rice is still standing in the fields at this point. Normally, the harvest would already be in by this time, but due to heavy rainfall, the plants are still too wet. He has to wait for at least one full sunny day before he can harvest. Despite all the science and technology, a farmer is always dependent on nature and the weather conditions.

FIND OUT MORE

Discover the stories behind our organic ingredients: where they come from, how they’re grown and the journey they take to reach their final destination.

Would you like to source organic rice for your business? Please get in touch with us; we’d be happy to tell you all about our organic supply chain and our product range.

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Maartje in het rijstveld
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