Talking about rice from l’Albufera de València means talking about culture, tradition, landscape and collective memory. Here, rice is not just an ingredient: it is history, craftsmanship and a way of understanding the land. At Arroz Tartana, we firmly believe that rice can only be truly valued when its origin is understood. That is why we share and explain everything surrounding its cultivation, from the field to the plate.
Because Valencian rice does not exist by chance. It is born from a very specific balance between water, soil, climate and know-how.
L’Albufera de València: a unique ecosystem for rice
L’Albufera is a living, protected Mediterranean wetland, shaped over centuries by the interaction between human beings and nature. Rice cultivation is an essential part of this balance. Rice fields do not only produce food: they regulate the water cycle, protect biodiversity and preserve the landscape we know today.
A rice field is land designed to remain flooded for much of the year. In l’Albufera, these fields rest on clay-rich soils, full of organic matter, capable of retaining water and nourishing the grain slowly. The Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and long, bright summers, completes the ideal conditions for growing Valencian rice.
Field preparation: the Perellonà
The rice cycle begins when the fields appear to be at rest. After harvesting, the rice fields enter a key phase that often goes unnoticed but is essential for rice quality. This phase is known as the Perellonà, named after the outlets where the waters of l’Albufera flow into the sea. In Valencian, these outlets are called goles or perellons.
At the beginning of November, the gates of these outlets are closed, causing a winter flooding of the entire natural area of l’Albufera, as the Júcar and Turia rivers continue to supply water. In fact, the surface area of l’Albufera can triple during winter. You can learn more about the Perellonà here.
The importance of ploughing the flooded soil
At the beginning of the new year, the gates are opened, the lake starts to drain and the rice fields begin to dry out. This marks the start of the new season with the practice known as ploughing the flooded soil, or fanguejar in Valencian. This consists of stirring the flooded soil to decompose the plant remains from the previous harvest.
This traditional practice improves soil structure and enriches it naturally, without the need for aggressive interventions.
It is important that fields are completely flooded with the smallest possible volume of water when preparing for sowing. This allows the water to warm up faster, helping the rice to germinate earlier. In addition, avoiding small mounds of moist soil above the water, exposed to the sun, helps reduce the growth of weeds in those areas.
Rice sowing
With the arrival of spring comes one of the most delicate stages of cultivation: sowing. Traditionally, seeds were broadcast by hand over flooded fields. Today, traditional methods coexist with more advanced techniques such as dry sowing, always respecting the natural timing of the rice cycle.
In l’Albufera, varieties especially adapted to this environment and to our rice-based gastronomy are grown, such as Bomba, Albufera, Regina, Bahía and Marisma. Each variety has its own culinary characteristics, but all share one essential trait: an extraordinary ability to absorb flavour and express the territory they come from.
Rice growth: water, time and balance
Once sown, rice grows in flooded fields. Water management is one of the fundamental pillars of cultivation. Maintaining the right water level protects the plant, regulates soil temperature and prevents weed growth. In the tancats, water management is much more precise than in the rest of the marshland.
During the summer growing months, rice goes through different stages until it reaches maturity. It is a slow process, shaped by climate conditions and the constant observation and expertise of the farmer, who adapts field management to the crop’s needs. There are no shortcuts here: time is also a key ingredient.
Harvesting and cutting
At the end of summer, usually between late August and early September, harvesting begins —known locally as la vereda— when the rice is collected at its optimal point of maturity and grain moisture. After harvesting, the rice fields transform once again and the cycle starts over.
Rather than an end, this moment marks a transition: rice begins its drying and processing phase, while the fields prepare to rest during winter and for the next growing season.
From the rice field to the table
Understanding how rice is grown in l’Albufera de València changes the way we cook and appreciate it. Each grain contains months of effort and dedication, observation and respect for the environment.
At Arroz Tartana, we share the culture of rice because we believe that protecting it starts with understanding it. Because only when we know its origin does rice stop being just an ingredient and become what it truly is: culture, history and territory served on a plate.