In Italy’s Pavia province, rice growers are reporting major crop losses as an early and severe drought coincides with exceptionally hot weather across Europe. Farmers describe rice paddies that have dried out and are heavily affected by weeds, which take over when water becomes scarce. One grower, Sharon Angoli, says that at least part of her field is already beyond recovery, despite the possibility of heavy rains later in the season. Both she and her father indicate uncertainty about whether additional rainfall would be sufficient to rescue the affected crop, especially given the extent of dryness during June.
The reports frame the situation as part of an unusually intense European heat event. While the amount of rain for the remainder of summer could influence conditions in remaining fields, the current conditions are already causing widespread damage in the region that is described as Europe’s most important rice-growing area. The main impact described across sources is loss of viable rice plants and increased competition from weeds in parched paddies.
