Successful rice production began in the 18th Century in the Camargue region, thanks to its abundant solar radiation. Up until the 1930s, the main objective of rice production was to control the salinity that menaced the Camargue and threatened it with desertification. Today, japonica rice varieties are planted under irrigated conditions, from April-May to September-October, on large and highly mechanized farms.
France is not a major rice producer, even within Europe, but it is a major contributor to sustainable rice production at the global level. Through its Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), France has provided support to various national rice programmes around the world.
French people do not eat much rice (about 7 kg/person/year). Despite this limited consumption, France must import rice yearly to meet local demand. Rice yield in the Camargue region has stagnated over the past decade. Taking advantage of the rich French cuisine, farmers in Camargue turned to producing high quality rice for special dishes. The roulé de feuilles de riz au thon, or "rolled rice with tuna fish", is an example of Camargue's specialty cuisine.