The rice that Lidl promotes as Valencian and there are doubts that it is

The main agricultural organizations of the Valencian Community, AVA-ASAJA and the Unió, have submitted two separate letters to the Denomination of Origin 'Arroz de Valencia', the Food Information and Control Agency (AICA) and the Ministry of Agriculture urging them to investigate the alleged

in relation to the

,

and

that the

rice promotion would be committing,

launched this first week of October by the food distribution chain

and which, if confirmed, would cause serious damage for the producers and a deception to the consumers.

The farmers warn that the promotional campaign refers to the Valencian origin of the rice but lacks the corresponding certification which, in this case, can only certify the quality figure DO Arroz de Valencia.

Both in the posters and in the information brochure, Lidl highlights a flag of the Valencian senyera in the shape of a heart, accompanied by the motto 'De la nostra terra / De Nuestro tierra'.

However, the round rice of the 'Campo Largo' brand that is the object of the offer is packaged in the Murcian town of

, on the side label it states that its origin is from Spain and on the plastic container it says 'Origin Spain 100%' .

AVA-ASAJA and La Unió have approached the general director of Rural Development, David Torres, to request that the Generalitat also check whether the qualification of 'Extra Category' that appears on the rice label actually meets these quality parameters.

Regarding the price, both associations warn that the promotion of 0.59 euros per kilo, after being reduced by 25%, may incur a supposed

since said price would not allow to cover the costs of all the agents that they intervene from the field to the commercial surface.

One of the novelties included in the Royal Decree Law promoted by the Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas, to improve the negotiating position of the producer in the formation of prices was, precisely, the prohibition of destroying value along the food chain.

The president of AVA-ASAJA,

, and the general secretary of the Unió,

, point out that "we are not going to sit idly by while Lidl or any other large food distribution company tries to harm farmers and , at the same time, to confuse and even deceive consumers on issues as sensitive as the origin, traceability and quality of the product ".

Supply-demand balance

Both agrarian leaders point out that this commercial strategy also occurs at a critical moment because the harvesters are still mowing the fields in the La Albufera natural park and the first rice trading operations are beginning to close.

The current season is presented with 15% less production and a supply-demand balance that can allow rice farmers to catch their breath after years of low prices in the field.

"Due to Covid-19, many Asian countries have decided to ensure the supply of this cereal for the internal needs of their population and are going to reduce their exports to the European Union. We cannot allow companies like Lidl to try to threaten this favorable climate through abusive practices and therefore we ask the competent administrations to act quickly and, where appropriate, forcefully ", they say.

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