COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

(Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143)

‘Riso del Delta del Po’

EU reference number: PGI-IT-0712-AM02 – 19.11.2025

1.   Name of product

‘Riso del Delta del Po’

2.   Geographical indication type

☐

PDO

☑

PGI

☐

GI

3.   Sector

☑	Agricultural products

☐

Wines

☐	Spirit drinks

4.   Country to which the geographical area belongs

Italy

5.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Name

Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry – Promotion of Agri Food Quality (PQA) 1

6.   Qualification as standard amendment

The amendments are standard amendments within the meaning of Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 as they do not include a change in the name, do not risk voiding the link and do not entail further restrictions on the marketing of the product.

7.   Description of the approved standard amendment(s)

Title

Amendment to the specific rules concerning labelling of the product. Article 8 of the product specification and point 4.6 of the single document.

Description

The following sentence in Article 8 of the specification and point 4.6 of the single document:

2)

the logo of the PGI measuring at least 40 mm × 25 mm. Should the size of the logo be larger, the proportion must be kept; the packaging must be marked with the single variety as listed in Article 2, i.e. Carnaroli, Volano, Baldo, Arborio, Cammeo, Karnak, Telemaco, Caravaggio or Keope; the type of treatment provided for by current legislation may also be included;

has been amended to read:

2)

the logo of the PGI measuring at least 40 mm × 25 mm. Should the size of the logo be larger, the proportion must be kept; the following references must appear on the packaging: — the name of the food and the weight, in the same visual field; — the variety referred to in Article 2, with the following sentence: ‘The package contains the [NAME] variety corresponding to the name of the food [NAME]’.

The references on the packaging are set out as follows:

Name of the food	Variety
ARBORIO RICE	Arborio, Volano, Telemaco
BALDO RICE	Baldo, Cammeo
CARNAROLI RICE	Carnaroli, Karnak, Caravaggio, Keope

The type of treatment provided for by current legislation may also be included.

☑	The amendment affects the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

Designations of origin and geographical indications of agricultural products

‘Riso del Delta del Po’

EU reference number: PGI-IT-0712-AM02 – 19.11.2025

1.   Name(s)

‘Riso del Delta del Po’

2.   Geographical indication type

☐

PDO

☑

PGI

☐

GI

3.   Country to which the defined geographical area belongs

Italy

4.   Description of the agricultural product

4.1.   Classification of the agricultural product in accordance with the Combined Nomenclature heading and code, as referred to in Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143

1006 30 – Semi-milled or wholly milled rice, whether or not polished or glazed

1006 – Rice

4.2.   Description of the agricultural product to which the registered name applies

The indication ‘Riso del Delta del Po’ refers exclusively to Japonica Super-fino grade rice of the Carnaroli, Volano, Baldo, Arborio, Cammeo, Karnak, Telemaco, Caravaggio and Keope varieties.

‘Riso del Delta del Po’ grains are large, translucent/pearly and compact, with a high protein content, and can be subjected to industrial processes and treatments permitted by current legislation.

Its high absorption capacity, low loss of starch and good cooking firmness, together with organoleptic characteristics such as its particular aroma and flavour, mean that it is especially favoured for enhancing the best risotto dishes.

‘Riso del Delta del Po’ - PGI must have the following characteristics relating to the grain:

Variety	Consistency kg/cm2	Protein % of dry matter
	not less than	not less than
Arborio, Volano, Telemaco	0,65	6,60
Baldo, Cammeo	0,60	6,60
Carnaroli, Karnak, Caravaggio, Keope	0,85	6,60

4.3.   Derogations on sourcing of feed (for products of animal origin designated by a Protected Designation of Origin only) and restrictions on sourcing of raw materials (for processed products designated by a Protected Geographical Indication only)

—

4.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

Because of the particular conditions that characterise the growing of the rice, the production phase must take place within the geographical area indicated at point 4. The rice can be sown by scattering or planting in water or on dry tilled land which must then be immediately drenched. Processing from paddy rice to rice (dehulling and milling) must take place in plants within the PGI area and according to procedures that are such as to ensure that the ‘Riso del Delta del Po’ retains the characteristics indicated in point 3.2. The special features of the area of production allow the characteristics of the product to be preserved during the dehulling and milling phases and limit cracking/breaking of the grain, which is necessary to obtain uniform cooking.’

4.5.   Specific rules concerning packaging, slicing, grating etc. of the agricultural product the registered name refers to

The rice must be put in boxes or bags suitable for food use, and may be packed in vacuum or controlled atmosphere conditions.

The containers must be sealed so as to prevent the contents from being removed without breaking the packaging.

4.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the agricultural product the registered name refers to

Apart from the legal preconditions containers must show the following:

1)	the term ‘Riso del Delta del Po’ followed by ‘Indicazione Geografica Protetta’ (or the abbreviation ‘IGP’) in suitably large characters (minimum font 7 pt);

2)	the logo of the PGI measuring at least 40 mm × 25 mm. Should the size of the logo be larger, the proportion must be kept;

the following references must appear on the packaging:

—	the name of the food and the weight, in the same visual field;

—	the variety referred to in Article 2, with the following sentence: ‘The package contains the [NAME] variety corresponding to the name of the food [NAME]’.

The references on the packaging are set out as follows:

Name of the food	Variety
ARBORIO RICE	Arborio, Volano, Telemaco
BALDO RICE	Baldo, Cammeo
CARNAROLI RICE	Carnaroli, Karnak, Caravaggio, Keope

The type of treatment provided for by current legislation may also be included;

3)	European Union PGI logo.

The official ‘Riso del Delta del Po’ logo consists of a cream oval shape with a green border. On the upper half of the oval appear the words ‘Riso del Delta del Po’ and on the lower half ‘Indicazione Geografica Protetta’, in both cases in capitals and in green.

The central part of the oval features, in a cream colour against a green background, images typical of the Po Delta (stylised reeds and birds) either side of a stylised yellow figure of a woman holding a sheaf of rice.

4.7.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The typical area for growing Riso del Delta del Po extends over the easternmost cone of the Po valley in the Veneto and Emilia Romagna regions, on the land formed by residue and deposits from the River Po. The area is bordered 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, Riso del Delta del Po is grown in the province of Rovigo, in the municipalities of Ariano nel Polesine, Porto Viro, Taglio di Po, Porto Tolle, Corbola, Papozze, Rosolina and Loreo.

In Emilia Romagna, production takes place in the province of Ferrara, in the municipalities of Comacchio, Goro, Codigoro, Lagosanto, Massa Fiscaglia, Migliaro, Migliarino, Ostellato, Mesola, Jolanda di Savoia and Berra.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The causal link with the geographical origin is based on

☑	reputation

☑	a given quality

☑	other characteristics

Summary of the link

Environmental factors

The characteristic soils, temperate climate and closeness to the sea are the main factors that influence and characterise the production of Riso del Delta del Po in this area. The land is ideally suited to growing the rice, which is the only form of cultivation possible in areas that are permanently semi-submerged. The alluvial soils of the Po Delta come from sediment left by the river at the end of its course and are especially fertile due to their high content of minerals, particularly potassium, which is such that there is no need to use potassium fertilisers. Also, the soils, though of varying consistency, are characterised by high salinity levels (EC of over 1 mS/cm), due to a very high water table. The specific coastal location of the area also provides a micro-climate that is particularly favourable to rice thanks to the constant breezes and consequent low levels of humidity, limited temperature ranges (lows hardly drop below 0 °C in the winter and highs in the summer have not exceeded 32 °C for 30 years) and annual rainfall of less than 700 mm, generally evenly distributed over the year. These specific climatic conditions serve to limit the spread of pathogenic fungi and thus also the need to use fungicides.

Historical and human factors

The first records of rice being grown in Polesine (the Rovigo area), in particular in the Po Delta region, date from a few decades after the spread of the activity in the Po Valley (1450): it was closely linked to the draining of the area as it accelerated the process whereby the salty land could then be used under crop rotation (as evidenced by a law of the Venetian Republic from 1594). The late 1700s saw a number of Venetian patricians starting to cultivate rice in the drained areas on a systematic basis. Riso del Delta del Po is now grown on about 9 000 hectares of rice fields. The influence of rice-growing can be seen in the local culture and in the social development of the area; the rice has for years been packaged and marketed by numerous firms under the name ‘Riso del Delta del Po’ and thanks to its particular organoleptic characteristics, which set it apart from other types of rice produced in Italy, it is recognised and highly regarded by consumers across the country. Lastly, its reputation is also linked with the traditional fairs and festivals that take place in the area each year, such as the famous Riso del Delta del Po festival in Jolanda di Savoia (Ferrara Province), and with the Porto Tolle Fair. The special characteristics of Riso del Delta del Po are related to its high protein content, the size of the grains, high absorption capacity, low rate of starch loss and superior quality, all of which give it a good cooking firmness. It also has a particular flavour and aroma which distinguish it from rice not grown in brackish water. The salt deposits on this area of drained land, coupled with the specific nature of the water used and the existence of a high table of saltwater, influence the character of the rice organoleptically and as a traded commodity — as a result, it is instantly recognisable and held in high esteem on the market. The alluvial soils, highly fertile because of the presence of minerals (particularly potassium), are conducive to a high protein content and enhanced cooking firmness. Also, the soils, though of varying consistency, are characterised by high salinity levels (EC of over 1 mS/cm) which gives the rice its special flavour and aroma. The constant sea-breeze radically reduces humidity levels in the micro-climate of the rice fields, thus also strongly diminishing the need for fungicides and helping to produce rice of a high quality.

Electronic (URL) reference to the publication of the product specification

https://www.masaf.gov.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeAttachment.php/L/IT/D/1%252Fc%252Fa%252FD.00c69befaa1f3f0ad516/P/BLOB%3AID%3D3343/E/pdf?mode=download

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(1)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 of 30 October 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council with rules concerning the registration and the protection of geographical indications, traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms and repealing Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (OJ L, 2025/27, 15.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/27/oj).