Riso del Delta del Po

Riso del Delta del Po is a Japonica Superfino rice restricted to four varieties — Carnaroli, Volano, Baldo and Arborio — grown in the easternmost cone of the Po valley across specified municipalities in the provinces of Rovigo and Ferrara. Its grains are large, translucent and compact, with a protein content above 6.60% of dry matter and variety-specific glutinosity thresholds that must be met before release for consumption.

About this designation

Registered as a PGI on 15 July 2008 under file number PGI-IT-0712 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013636), Riso del Delta del Po is protected by the Consorzio di Tutela del Riso del Delta del Po IGP. The designation covers exclusively Japonica Superfino grade rice of the Carnaroli, Volano, Baldo and Arborio varieties, which may be white or whole-grain. The production area spans the alluvial land of the Po Delta, bounded to the east by the Adriatic Sea, to the north by the Adige River and to the south by the Ferrara-Porto Garibaldi Canal. In Veneto, cultivation is confined to eight named municipalities in the province of Rovigo; in Emilia Romagna, to eleven named municipalities in the province of Ferrara. The Carnaroli variety may be grown only in soil with a pH of more than 7.5. Dried paddy rice must not exceed a moisture content of 14%. Packaging is restricted to units of 0.5 kg, 1 kg, 2 kg or 5 kg in sealed, food-grade containers. Each container must display the PGI logo at a minimum size of 40 mm × 30 mm, the term 'Riso del Delta del Po' followed by 'Indicazione Geografica Protetta' or the abbreviation 'PGI' in characters of at least 5 mm height, and the name of the specific variety. The soils of the area are characterised by high salinity levels, with an electrical conductivity of over 1 mS/cm.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 15 July 2008 under file number PGI-IT-0712; eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013636.
• All varieties must have a protein content of over 6.60% of dry matter before release for consumption.
• The Carnaroli variety may be grown only in soil with a pH of more than 7.5; no other variety carries this soil restriction.
• Packaging is limited to sealed units of 0.5 kg, 1 kg, 2 kg or 5 kg; no other pack sizes are permitted.

Tasting notes

Veneto/Emilia rice from Po delta, traditional varieties (Carnaroli, Arborio, Volano, Baldo). Distinctive starch profile suited for risotto, characteristic delta-water mineral notes.

HoReCa use

The specification notes that the rice is especially favoured for enhancing risotto dishes.

Packaging

• vacuum-pack-1kg
• vacuum-pack-5kg
• foodservice-bag-25kg