# C_2023068EN.01004401.xml

| 24.2.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 68/44 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

24.2.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 68/44

---

Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2023/C 68/13)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR

Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘PIMENTÓN DE MURCIA’

EU No: PDO-ES-0113-AM02 – 2.2.2021

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

a)   Applicant group:

Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Protegida ‘PIMENTÓN DE MURCIA’ [Regulatory Board for the Protected Designation of Origin ‘PIMENTÓN DE MURCIA’]

| Avda. Santa Eulalia, 7 - Bajo |
| --- |
| 30850 Totana – Murcia |
| ESPAÑA |

Avda. Santa Eulalia, 7 - Bajo

30850 Totana – Murcia

ESPAÑA

Tel. and Fax 968 424016

Email: info@pimentondemurcia.es

b)   Legitimate interest:

The Regulatory Board is the organisation that represents all of the producers and is officially recognised for the management of the PDO, in accordance with the applicable legislation (Order of 17 December 2001 of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Water and the Environment approving the regulation governing the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ designation of origin and its Regulatory Board).

Please find attached proof of its legitimate interest and a certificate of its composition and functions, in a letter signed by its Chairperson.

2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain

3.   Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

| ☐ | Name of product |
| --- | --- |

☐

Name of product

| ☒ | Description of product |
| --- | --- |

☒

Description of product

| ☒ | Geographical area |
| --- | --- |

☒

Geographical area

| ☐ | Proof of origin |
| --- | --- |

☐

Proof of origin

| ☐ | Method of production |
| --- | --- |

☐

Method of production

| ☒ | Link |
| --- | --- |

☒

Link

| ☐ | Labelling |
| --- | --- |

☐

Labelling

| ☒ | Other [to be specified]






  — | Control body |
| --- | --- | --- |

☒

Other [to be specified]

—

Control body

| — | National legal requirements |
| --- | --- |

—

National legal requirements

4.   Type of amendment(s)

| ☐ | Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. |
| --- | --- |

☐

Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

| ☒ | Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 |
| --- | --- |

☒

Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5.   Amendment(s)

1.   Section B) Description of product

Amendment to the analytical characteristics for the ‘Extra’ and ‘Primera’ [Class I] commercial categories described in section B) Description of the product, heading ‘Characteristics of the Finished Product’, subheading ‘Physical and chemical characteristics’ (table).

Current text:

Only the following commercial categories are covered: EXTRA and PRIMERA [Class I], as defined by the following analytical characteristics:

| Characteristics | Extra | Primera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| (*1) Colour — Minimum ASTA units | 120 | 90 |
| Maximum humidity expressed as % | 14 | 14 |
| Ether extract of dry matter expressed as % maximum | 20 | 23 |
| Maximum ash in dry matter expressed as %: | | |
| — | Total |

Characteristics

Extra

Primera

(*1) Colour — Minimum ASTA units

120

90

Maximum humidity expressed as %

14

14

Ether extract of dry matter expressed as % maximum

20

23

Maximum ash in dry matter expressed as %:

—

Total

7,5

8

| — | Insoluble |
| --- | --- |

—

Insoluble

0,7

1

Raw fibre in dry matter expressed as %

27

28

Maximum capsaicin expressed as %

0,003

0,003

New, amended text:

Only the following commercial categories are covered: EXTRA and PRIMERA [Class I], as defined by the following analytical characteristics:

| Characteristics | Extra | Primera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| (*2) Colour — Minimum ASTA units | ≥ 120 | ≥ 90 |
| Maximum humidity expressed as % | ≤ 14 | ≤ 14 |
| Ether extract of dry matter expressed as %, maximum | ≤ 20 | ≤ 23 |
| Maximum ash in dry matter expressed as %: | | |
| — | Total |

Characteristics

Extra

Primera

(*2) Colour — Minimum ASTA units

≥ 120

≥ 90

Maximum humidity expressed as %

≤ 14

≤ 14

Ether extract of dry matter expressed as %, maximum

≤ 20

≤ 23

Maximum ash in dry matter expressed as %:

—

Total

≤ 9,4

≤ 9,9

| — | Insoluble |
| --- | --- |

—

Insoluble

≤ 0,7

≤ 1

Raw fibre in dry matter expressed as %

≤ 27

≤ 28

Maximum capsaicin expressed as %

≤ 0,003

≤ 0,003

Reason:

There are two reasons for the amendment to the table on physical and chemical characteristics.

First of all, this amendment is a corrigendum. The current product specification indicates the raw fibre content as an absolute and exact value and not as a minimum or maximum or as a range. The legislation in force at the time (Order of 1 September 1983 on Quality Standards for Pimentón for Export, published in Official State Gazette No 243, pages 27973 to 27975) indicated the analytical parameters as maximum and minimum values, but this clarification was mistakenly not reflected in the product specification. We would like to include a mention that the value indicated refers to the maximum value. By extension, we would like to clarify the criterion used for the rest of the parameters with ≤ and ≥.

Secondly, the change in the total ash content is being made to account for the new analytical techniques, with the value being adjusted in accordance with the sensitivity and uncertainty of the methods currently applied. This amendment has no impact on the characteristics of the finished product, in accordance with Royal Decree 2242/84 of 26 September 2007.

Single Document

This amendment is included in paragraph 3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

2.   Section C) Geographical area

Current text:

C)   GEOGRAPHICAL AREA

PRODUCTION AREA

The production area for the peppers intended for the production of paprika to be covered by the Designation of Origin ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ comprises land located in the following municipalities in the province of Murcia in south-eastern Spain:

| | Alhama de Murcia |
| --- | --- |

Alhama de Murcia

| | Beniel |
| --- | --- |

Beniel

| | Cartagena |
| --- | --- |

Cartagena

| | Fortuna |
| --- | --- |

Fortuna

| | Fuente Álamo |
| --- | --- |

Fuente Álamo

| | Librilla |
| --- | --- |

Librilla

| | Lorca |
| --- | --- |

Lorca

| | Molina de Segura |
| --- | --- |

Molina de Segura

| | Murcia |
| --- | --- |

Murcia

| | Puerto Lumbreras |
| --- | --- |

Puerto Lumbreras

| | San Javier |
| --- | --- |

San Javier

| | Santomera |
| --- | --- |

Santomera

| | Torre Pacheco |
| --- | --- |

Torre Pacheco

| | Totana |
| --- | --- |

Totana

The total area comprises 484 450 ha, of which 277 204 ha are plantations.

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING AREA

The processing and packaging area comprises all the municipalities of the province of Murcia.

New, amended text:

PRODUCTION AREA

The production area for the peppers intended for the production of paprika to be covered by the Designation of Origin ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ comprises land located in the following municipalities in the provinces of Murcia, Almería, Granada and Alicante, located in south-eastern Spain:

| | Province of Murcia: | Alhama de Murcia |
| --- | --- | --- |

Province of Murcia:

Alhama de Murcia

| | Beniel |
| --- | --- |

Beniel

| | Caravaca |
| --- | --- |

Caravaca

| | Cartagena |
| --- | --- |

Cartagena

| | Fortuna |
| --- | --- |

Fortuna

| | Fuente Álamo |
| --- | --- |

Fuente Álamo

| | Librilla |
| --- | --- |

Librilla

| | Lorca |
| --- | --- |

Lorca

| | Mazarrón |
| --- | --- |

Mazarrón

| | Molina de Segura |
| --- | --- |

Molina de Segura

| | Murcia |
| --- | --- |

Murcia

| | Puerto Lumbreras |
| --- | --- |

Puerto Lumbreras

| | San Javier |
| --- | --- |

San Javier

| | Santomera |
| --- | --- |

Santomera

| | Torre Pacheco |
| --- | --- |

Torre Pacheco

| | Totana |
| --- | --- |

Totana

| | Province of Almería: | Pulpí |
| --- | --- | --- |

Province of Almería:

Pulpí

| | Vélez Blanco |
| --- | --- |

Vélez Blanco

| | Vélez Rubio |
| --- | --- |

Vélez Rubio

| | Province of Granada: | Orce |
| --- | --- | --- |

Province of Granada:

Orce

| | Puebla de Don Fadrique |
| --- | --- |

Puebla de Don Fadrique

| | Province of Alicante: | Elche |
| --- | --- | --- |

Province of Alicante:

Elche

| | Guardamar del Segura |
| --- | --- |

Guardamar del Segura

| | Orihuela |
| --- | --- |

Orihuela

| | Pilar de la Horadada |
| --- | --- |

Pilar de la Horadada

| | Torrevieja |
| --- | --- |

Torrevieja

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING AREA

The processing and packaging area is the same as the production area.

Reason:

The geographical area defined in the product specification has been amended to include in the territorial scope protected by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO the production of peppers and paprika in neighbouring municipalities that share the same historical characteristics, terrain, climate and human factors as those currently indicated.

Peppers for paprika have been produced in these municipalities, including by the same producers that make the product covered by the PDO. The farms are adjacent and the pepper and variety grown have the same characteristics as those defined in the product specification for the PDO. The product is even dehydrated in drying chambers registered with the PDO. The paprika is partly bought by or intended for plants registered with the PDO. However, up to now these producers had not qualified and could not benefit from the protection of the PDO when placing their product on the market.

The following municipalities have been added to the geographical area:

| | Province of Murcia: | Caravaca |
| --- | --- | --- |

Province of Murcia:

Caravaca

| | Mazarrón |
| --- | --- |

Mazarrón

| | Province of Almería: | Pulpí |
| --- | --- | --- |

Province of Almería:

Pulpí

| | Vélez Blanco |
| --- | --- |

Vélez Blanco

| | Vélez Rubio |
| --- | --- |

Vélez Rubio

| | Province of Granada: | Orce |
| --- | --- | --- |

Province of Granada:

Orce

| | Puebla de Don Fadrique |
| --- | --- |

Puebla de Don Fadrique

| | Province of Alicante: | Elche |
| --- | --- | --- |

Province of Alicante:

Elche

| | Guardamar del Segura |
| --- | --- |

Guardamar del Segura

| | Orihuela |
| --- | --- |

Orihuela

| | Pilar de la Horadada |
| --- | --- |

Pilar de la Horadada

| | Torrevieja |
| --- | --- |

Torrevieja

All of the extensions correspond to municipalities in the province itself or neighbouring municipalities from border provinces.

The application submitted by the Regulatory Board for the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO to have the geographical area extended is in response to requests received from many farmers based in the areas adjacent to the area currently protected.

Municipalities belonging to the Province of Murcia

The municipalities of Mazarrón and Caravaca are close to the areas where the largest production - and producers - of ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ are concentrated. The plantations expanded into these areas from Murcia in the 1950s and 1960s.

Both municipalities have similar temperature, rainfall and humidity patterns. In the municipalities of Mazarrón and Caravaca, as in the other municipalities included in the specification, the average temperature is 16-20 °C in the months when planting commences and the maximum temperatures remain below 32 °C in July and August. Humidity is over 40 % in these months and can reach 70 % between July and September. The average rainfall in the municipality of Mazarrón is 280 mm, with slightly higher values being recorded in some parts of Caravaca.

It should be noted that transplantation could be delayed in the Caravaca highlands. This was already taken into consideration in the initial product specification, which allows for transplantation after a certain date without specifying a deadline for it.

Finally, the cultivation techniques are identical to those of the protected production areas, since they are the same farmers with the same growing process and tradition, which developed throughout the territory at the same time and under the same conditions.

Municipalities belonging to the provinces of Almería and Granada

The provinces of Almería and Granada, like those of Murcia and Alicante, are part of south-eastern Spain. They share the same general rainfall patterns, temperatures and soil characteristics, albeit with evident differences at local level.

In terms of climate, it should be noted that the rainfall is similar to that of the Mediterranean climate, with local and circumstantial differences, particularly in the municipalities of Puebla de Don Fadrique and Orce. Pulpí has a more arid climate. These local differences are not considered to be significant:

In Puebla de Don Fadrique and Orce, the average rainfall is higher (400 ± 50 mm per year) than in the other municipalities. In Pulpí, which has a more arid climate, the average rainfall is below 300 mm per year (297 mm). Recorded rainfall values have been shown to vary from year to year, probably due to the effects of climate change. These differences are not considered significant because in the months in which the peppers are planted and used to produce ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ (April — October) the values recorded are similar to those of the other municipalities (170 mm).

Peppers, and more specifically the Bola variety used in the PDO ‘Pimentón de Murcia’, have traditionally been grown in Almería and Granada. They were ‘exported’ by businesses and farmers from the Guadalentín valley that moved to more virgin land, just as the earliest farmers in the Segura valley had done in the mid-20th century, when a fungal problem forced them to move their plantations into what is now the Guadalentín valley and other areas.

However, these areas cannot be regarded as new, or are at least not so new to growing peppers for paprika. There are bibliographical references to the cultivation of peppers for paprika going back at least to 1987, where the provinces of Almería and Granada are highlighted as producers of peppers for paprika. For instance, the book ‘El pimiento para pimentón’ [Peppers for paprika] by M Zapata et al, 1991, provides statistical data on the presence of this crop in both of these provinces.

Municipalities in the Province of Alicante

Growing peppers for paprika has been a constant in the province of Alicante since ancient times.

The municipalities of Guardamar del Segura, Orihuela and Pilar de la Horadada are located in the Vega Baja or Vega Baja del Segura district, and the municipality of Elche is located in the Bajo Vinalopó district.

Soil salinity levels in the Vega Baja and Bajo Vinalopó districts range between 3,5 and 3,7 dSm-1 [Developing a predictive model for the build-up of salts in agricultural soils in Mediterranean climate conditions; application to the Vega Baja del Segura and Bajo Vinalopó districts in Alicante (Fernando Visconti Reluy)]. These values are similar to those detected in the Campo de Cartagena district (where the municipalities of Cartagena, Fuente Álamo, San Javier and part of the municipality of Mazarrón are located) or the Guadalentín valley (where the municipalities of Alhama, Librilla, Lorca, Puerto Lumbreras, Totana and part of Mazarrón are located). The climate in southern Alicante where the districts being added are located is also the same as in the existing production areas for the PDO.

The main features of the climate in this larger area can be summarised as follows: low average rainfall (280 ± 40 mm per year, 291 mm per year in Orihuela or 243 mm per year in Torrevieja), high average solar radiation (6 200 ± 100 MJ m-2 year-1), moderately high average temperature (18 ± 1 oC), almost no strong winds (wind speed below 20 km/h on 80 % - 40 % of days) and almost no frost. Over a longer timescale, the climate in these municipalities includes cyclical droughts. This phenomenon occurs every 15 to 25 years, with the drought lasting at least 24 months at a time. In times of drought, the annual rainfall is up to 60 % lower than average.

Finally, as regards the tradition of cultivation in the areas of Vega Baja del Segura and Bajo Vinalopó, it is worth noting in the bibliography ‘El Libro del Pimentón 1756-1965’ [The Book of Paprika 1756-1965] by Jesús Pérez de Espinardo, the 1st edition of which was published in 2000. It refers on several occasions to the cultivation of peppers for paprika, e.g. ‘From the early 19th century until the mid-20th century, growing peppers for paprika had gradually spread throughout the whole Vega del Segura area [...] due to the pepper blight’ (Phytophthora Capsici), which meant that new growing areas had to be created in Campo de Cartagena, Campo de Elche and the Guadalentín valley’.

Thus, initially, according to all the literature sources consulted, the areas with the highest production were located in Vega del Segura, and more specifically in Vega Baja del Segura, which is where the processing plants were created. However, fungal problems saw production move to the areas of Campo de Cartagena, Campo de Elche and the Guadalentín valley (as noted in the literature), with the latter now being the largest producer of peppers for paprika.

Single Document

This amendment is included in section 4. Concise definition of the geographical area.

3.   Section F) Factors proving the link with the geographical environment. influence of the environment on the product

Current text:

a)   Historical factors

The first records of peppers being grown in the Murcia Region are from the early 16th century. They refer to the Hieronymite friars, who were responsible for introducing the crop, which they grew on some land they owned near the ‘Rueda’ and the ‘Acequia Mayor de La Ñora’ irrigation channel.

The peppers harvested by the friars each year were soon referred to by local names. To be more specific, the name ‘ñora’ has traditionally been used in the Murcia Region to refer to sweet red peppers. This is probably on account of the location where they were first grown, as there was a rural district by that name - La Ñora - in the municipality of Murcia.

The original seeds brought from the Americas come from a slightly elongated, spicy wild pepper. Although there is no scientific proof, some authors have claimed that this original pepper acquired a more rounded shape and a less spicy taste after a few years, influenced by the environmental conditions of the Huerta de Murcia area and the cultivation techniques employed by the growers.

This crop subsequently spread along the entire bank of the River Segura, particularly in the areas close to Molina del Segura. In the early 2000s, the crop spread to other areas such as the Guadalentín valley, Huerta de Murcia, Fortuna, etc. and its economic importance grew significantly.

The industrialisation of the pepper sector in the Murcia Region can be considered to have begun in the mid-nineteenth century, when a local woman had the idea of rubbing oil on the peppers and toasting them in an oven. This brought out the shine in the peppers and enabled her to sell them for a good price on the market. Later, she became even more inventive with the peppers prepared in that way, first using a mortar to chop them up and then trying the same in a flour mill.

In 1992, the pepper for paprika subsector was one of the most characteristic agricultural activities in the Murcia Region, historically the main pepper-producing and paprika-exporting area in Spain.

Peppers for paprika are undoubtedly the traditional crop of the Murcia Region. This artisanal crop is so emblematic of Murcia that the term ‘pimentoneros’ is frequently used as a synonym for Murcians, particularly the local football club ‘Real Murcia, Club de Fútbol’. The book HISTORIA DEL REAL MURCIA [History of the Real Murcia Football Club) explains that the colours adopted for the club definitive kit were as follows: Pepper-red jersey and dark blue (or occasionally black) shorts.

Paprika is valued for its double function as both colouring and flavouring. The regional gastronomy includes myriad recipes in which sweet paprika is an essential ingredient. One of the most original is the ‘Torta de pimentón’ pie made in Totana. At the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition in Seville, the Murcia Pepper Exporters Guild presented a comprehensive collection of recipes of regional Spanish dishes featuring paprika as an ingredient.

There is an extensive bibliography on the subject in the region, as well as various ongoing research projects.

b)   Natural factors

Orography

The production area for paprika is located in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula in the Murcia Region, which has an area of 11 320 km2). Almost a quarter of that area corresponds to lowlands with an altitude of less than 200 m, 45 % to altitudes ranging between 200 and 600 m and 32 % ranging between 600 and 2 000 m. The relief is complex and the high Baetic Mountains in the north-west are the main feature.

In terms of geology, most of the region is located within the area of the Baetic Mountains, which tend to be surrounded by depressions with materials dating from the Neogene and Quaternary periods. The mountains generally run in a southwestern-northeastern direction.

Soils

Post-orogenic materials are very common in the Region, particularly marl, clay, evaporite rocks and conglomerates.

Quaternary deposits are present in large expanses of plains and river basins, sometimes forming spectacular glacis. These areas generally have the best land for growing both rainfed and irrigated crops.

The soils of the Campo de Cartagena area and the Guadalentín valley used to grow peppers for paprika can be classified as saline. Salinity in soils with lower salt content is structural and inherent in the formation of the soil itself. In other cases it can be due to chlorides added as a result of irrigation.

Climate

The climate is generally classified as subtropical Mediterranean, with maritime characteristics in areas close to the coast. Average potential evapotranspiration levels are high, reaching 180 in many localities in the months of July and August. Combined with the very low average rainfall of less than 300 mm and the high average temperatures, this has an impact on the ecology of the area and the properties of the soil. This is particularly important in the case of the soluble salt content, as this crop requires a continuous supply of irrigation water.

Hydrography

97 % of the Region is located within the Segura river basin. In addition to the main watercourse, which crosses the Region from the Cenajo reservoir to Beniel, there are a number of tributaries, including the river Moratalla, Argos, Quipar, Mula and the Guadalentín on the right bank, the latter of which has a large basin. There are also many large streams which supply brackish water, with the main ones being Moro, Judío, Tinajón, Salada, Agua Amarga, etc.

Most of the irrigation water in the production area for this crop comes from the Tagus-Segura Water Transfer and from existing aquifers which provide water with a high salt content and are currently overexploited. A very significant area of the irrigated land has no resources.

Natural flora and crops

The economy of the Region of Murcia is characterised by its important agriculture and agri-foods sector, which is highly dependent on the availability of water for agricultural use.

Just over 50 % of the total area was occupied by crops in 1996. The rest consists mostly of scrubland and pastures (almost 30 %), followed by forest formations (mainly pines, around 15 %).

Irrigated land accounts for almost 200 000 hectares, but a significant percentage of that is dependent on the availability of water. Almost half of that is devoted to growing fruit and vegetables, followed by stone fruit (peach and apricot trees, etc.), citrus fruit (lemon and orange trees) and to a lesser extent olive trees, trellised vines, forced crops, etc.

Rainfed crops occupy more than 400 000 ha. However, a significant proportion of these are in a state of abandonment. The majority is occupied by cereal plantations with scant production, especially barley, which is often associated with livestock farming. Woody crops include almond and vines and to a lesser extent olive trees, carob, etc.

c)   Growing conditions

Peppers are warm climate crops that require heat to thrive. Daytime temperatures of between 20 and 25 °C and night-time temperatures of between 16 °C and 18 °C are deemed to be necessary for optimal development and production. Floral abortions occur when temperatures rise above 32 oC, especially in dry conditions. When there is high relative humidity, the plant tolerates temperatures of more than 40 °C.

The crop requires significant ambient humidity (RH of between 50 and 70 %) especially during the flowering and fruit-setting stages. During the early stages of development, it requires and tolerates a higher relative humidity than in the latter stages.

Peppers also require a lot of light during the growing season, especially during the flowering, fruit-setting and ripening stages. Light levels are therefore a limiting factor. Insufficient light causes the plant to whiten and the internodes and stems to become elongated, meaning they are left weakened and unable to bear the weight of the harvest.

Peppers are propagated by seeds, which are sown in mid-December or early January. Given that the temperatures at that time of year are not suitable for germination or for young plants to develop, special hotbeds known as ‘almajaras’ are used for the seedlings. Taking the form of rectangular cavities in the ground that are used as hotbeds covered in plastic, they are about 1,5 m wide depending on the length of the ground levelled.

New, amended text:

a)   Natural

Orography

The production area for peppers covered by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO is located in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula and includes municipalities from the Murcia Region, Alicante, Almería and Granada. The relief is complex. The land located in the municipalities of Alhama de Murcia, Beniel, Cartagena, Molina de Segura, Murcia, San Javier, Santomera and Torrepacheco in the Murcia region and Elche, Guardamar del Segura, Pilar de la Horadada and Orihuela in Alicante is at an altitude of less than 200 m. This zone accounts for less than half of the geographical area.

Most of the land is at medium or high altitudes. The municipalities of Caravaca, Fortuna, Librilla, Lorca, Mazarrón, Puerto Lumbreras and Totana in the Murcia region, Orce and Puebla de Don Fadrique in Granada and Pulpí, Vélez Blanco and Vélez Rubio in Almería are at higher altitudes ranging between 200 m and 2 000 m.

This difference in altitude within the defined area determines the growing seasons, which may vary according to climate.

In terms of geology, the geographical area concerned is located within the area of the Baetic Mountains, which are surrounded by depressions containing materials dating from the Neogene and Quaternary periods. The mountains generally run in a southwestern-northeastern direction.

Soils

Post-orogenic materials are very common, particularly marl, clay, evaporite rocks and conglomerates.

Quaternary deposits are present in large expanses of plains and river basins, sometimes forming spectacular glacis. These areas generally have the best land for growing both rainfed and irrigated crops.

The soils of the Campo de Cartagena area and the Guadalentín valley used to grow peppers for paprika can be classified as saline.

The soils in the Vega Baja del Segura and Bajo Vinalopó districts are also classified as being saline, with values above 3 dS/m. Soil salinity in the municipalities of Almería and Granada is variable, with over 7 dS/m recorded in Pulpí.

Salinity in soils with lower salt content is structural and inherent in the formation of the soil itself. In other cases it can be due to chlorides added as a result of irrigation.

Climate

The geographical area is located in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula, where the climate is temperate with a Mediterranean influence and some continental features. It is characteristically semi-arid, with rainfall of about 200 mm to 500 mm and high average potential evapotranspiration levels, reaching 180 in many localities in July and August.

The temperatures throughout the year can be plotted as a bell-shaped curve, with the lowest being recorded in winter. They start to rise in April and May and reach their peak in July and August.

The very low average rainfall and the high average temperatures in the planting and growing seasons have an impact on the ecology of the area and the properties of the soil. This is particularly important in the case of the soluble salt content, as the crop requires a continuous supply of irrigation water.

Hydrography

The majority of the geographical area is located within the Segura river basin. Other important rivers are the Vélez and Chirivel, which form part of the headwaters of the Guadalentín river basin and pass through the Los Vélez district, and the Huescar river, which has its source in the valley to the east of the Sagra, in the municipality of Puebla de Don Fadrique.

Most of the irrigation water in the production area for this crop comes from the Tagus-Segura Water Transfer and from existing aquifers which provide water with a high salt content and are currently overexploited. A very significant area of the irrigated land has no resources.

Natural flora and crops

The economy of the geographical area covered by the PDO is characterised by its important agriculture and agri-foods sector, which is highly dependent on the availability of water for agricultural use.

Irrigated land accounts for more than 200 000 hectares, but a significant percentage of that is dependent on the availability of water. Almost half of that is devoted to growing fruit and vegetables, followed by stone fruit (peach and apricot trees, etc.), citrus fruit (lemon and orange trees) and to a lesser extent olive trees, trellised vines, forced crops, etc.

Rainfed crops occupy more than 400 000 ha. However, a significant proportion of these are in a state of abandonment. The majority is occupied by cereal plantations with scant production, especially barley, which is often associated with livestock farming. Woody crops include almond and vines and to a lesser extent olive trees, carob, etc.

c)   Growing conditions

Peppers covered by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO are warm climate crops that require heat to thrive. Daytime temperatures of between 20 °C and 25 °C and night-time temperatures of between 16 °C and 18 °C are deemed to be necessary for optimal development and production. Floral abortions occur when temperatures rise above 32 °C, especially in dry conditions. When there is high relative humidity, the plant tolerates temperatures of more than 40 °C.

The crop requires significant ambient humidity (RH of between 50 % and 70 %) especially during the flowering and fruit-setting stages. During the early stages of development, it requires and tolerates a higher relative humidity than in the latter stages.

Peppers covered by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO also require a lot of light during the growing season, especially during the flowering, fruit-setting and ripening stages. Light levels are therefore a limiting factor. Insufficient light causes the plant to whiten and the internodes and stems to become elongated, meaning they are left weakened and unable to bear the weight of the harvest.

As well as the growing conditions, the human factor, i.e. the expertise of the producers, also has an impact on the production of peppers covered by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO.

That is why the production process for peppers covered by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO is based on the know-how of the producers. Plot selection, the system used to prepare the soil for sowing, seed selection, planting and harvesting all have a direct impact on the characteristics of the end product. This is why producers familiar with the needs of the pepper crop for ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO have been able to extend their crops to adjacent land with the same natural characteristics, particularly as regards temperature, humidity and light levels.

Propagation is carried out using seeds selected from the best plants in the previous harvest (normally the first picking) and from sun-dried peppers preserved in minimal light and cool temperature conditions. Seeds would traditionally be kept in earthenware jars or tin boxes in order to guarantee these conditions of minimal light and cool temperature until sowing time.

After the seeds are selected, it is time for them to be sown. A generous amount of fertiliser or manure is added at the time of sowing and seeds are protected from the cold. Checks are conducted on the seeds sown in mid-December or early January. Given that the temperatures at that time of year are not suitable for germination or for young plants to develop, producers used to set up special hotbeds known as ‘almajaras’ for the seedlings. To protect against the cold, they were covered with reeds or brushwood and a fine layer of top soil followed by gravel to prevent the surface from hardening into a crust. The ‘almajaras’ consisted of rectangular hollows in the soil, about 1.5 m wide and with a length that would depend on how level the plot was. The seeds would be sown in the middle, forming a kind of line. These days plastic covers known as ‘planteles’ are used to protect against the cold, with the same hotbed function as the ‘almajaras’. Alternatively, the seeds are sown in a honeycomb formation on sowing trays with a good substrate, as this ensures that the seeds (selected by farmers or certified) can be kept in optimal controlled temperature conditions by the staff in charge.

Planting is never carried out before 15 April. The date that has traditionally been considered best for avoiding frost is 25 April, the feast of St Mark. Planting is carried out in grooves or using a plastic base, with seedlings being placed a hand span apart in a triangular layout. They are then irrigated by flooding or on a localised level to enable better control of scarce water and fertilisers.

The timing of the harvest is crucial in obtaining peppers with the sensory characteristics of the product covered by the PDO. Peppers are harvested by hand and only those that are fully ripe are picked. It is the producers, with their product expertise, that determine when the time is right. They are able to distinguish which peppers on each plant have attained optimal ripeness, i.e. maximum colour intensity, highest natural pigment content and minimum water content.

After the peppers were picked, they would be spread out on a kind of wattle or laid out on the slopes of the hillocks, depending on how big or small the batch was, until they became dehydrated by the heat of the sun. This traditional drying method has been preserved over the years, although drying chambers have also been introduced.

Reason:

The section on the link has been amended as regards the information on the geographical area, but not as regards its inherent characteristics or how these characteristics help to make the product distinctive. The references to the area and the volume of production have also been amended, since they were previously restricted to the Murcia Region.

The initial application was limited to the Murcia Region because the area devoted to pepper production was larger there than elsewhere and because that was also where the main drying chambers and pepper mills were originally located. Pepper cultivation varies according to the availability of water and therefore from one year to the next. The peppers originally grown in these parts of the provinces of Murcia, Almería, Granada and Alicante for the production of paprika had similar characteristics linked to the geographical area. They also tended to be mostly milled and dried in Murcia. As the pepper drying and milling plants were historically located in Murcia, the resulting paprika was recognised as ‘Pimentón de Murcia’. At the time of applying for PDO status, this was the name for which protection was sought and therefore the geographical area was restricted to this region. The areas where pepper used to be grown, which now cover an even larger territory, were left out of the PDO even though they had the same product characteristics and used to be sold under the same name.

The production areas ranged from districts in Alicante to districts in Almería or Granada, including the entire province of Murcia, which is located in the centre of that territory. The crops were moved to different plots in the territory, depending on the conditions in each particular year and factors such as blights, the better water availability of certain aquifers or crops that were more profitable for farmers. Thus different plots were allocated every year and the production of peppers for paprika varied according to market fluctuations.

Such fluctuations have for many years led to the loss of cultivated areas, which are now being recuperated given that producers are more interested in promoting their territory to compete against imported products which in no way compare with the quality of their original product.

The description confirming the human know-how and its impact on the specificity of the product has been added as an important part of the link.

The historical descriptions and references to books and bibliographic sources have been deleted from the section on the link.

Single Document

This amendment is included in section 5. Link with the geographical area.

The amendment is considered not minor for sections B, C and F because it relates to the essential characteristics of the product, modifies the link and affects the geographical area.

4.   Section G) Control body

Current text:

G)   CONTROL BODY

Checks and certification are to be carried out on a provisional basis by the competent authority: Directorate-General for Agri-Food Structures and Industries in the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, until the relevant Regulatory Board composed of representatives from the production and processing sectors has been set up and met the requirements of Standard EN 45011.

New, amended text:

G)   CONTROL BODY

Controls and certification are delegated by the competent authority – the Directorate-General for Agri-Food Structures and Industries in the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Water and the Environment – to the Regulatory Board for the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO, which is formed by representatives from the production and processing sector and accredited according to standard ISO/IEC 17065.

Reason:

The definition of the body that will carry out the checks has been amended. The competent authority has delegated the certification role to the Regulatory Board for the PDO ‘Pimentón de Murcia’. Furthermore, the applicable standard, ISO/IEC 17065 ‘Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services’, approved in September 2012, has been updated, leading to the annulment of standard UNE-EN 45011:1998 which was in force at the time. To allow organisations that were already bound by the requirements of the previous standard to adapt to the new requirements, a transitional period of three years was established from the date of the approval. This period has now ended.

In the process of applying for the amendment to the specification, the Regulatory Council for the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO has obtained UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation.

5.   Section I) Requirements laid down by Community and/or national provisions

Current text:

I)   REQUIREMENTS LAID DOWN BY COMMUNITY AND/OR NATIONAL PROVISIONS

| — | Law 25/1970 ‘Vine, Wine and Alcohol Statute’, if a Regulatory Board is set up to act as a control body. |
| --- | --- |

—

Law 25/1970 ‘Vine, Wine and Alcohol Statute’, if a Regulatory Board is set up to act as a control body.

| — | Royal Decree 2242/1984 of 26 September 1984 adopting the technical and health rules for the manufacture, marketing and use of pesticides. (Official State Gazette (B.O.E.) No 306 of 22 December 1984). |
| --- | --- |

—

Royal Decree 2242/1984 of 26 September 1984 adopting the technical and health rules for the manufacture, marketing and use of pesticides. (Official State Gazette (B.O.E.) No 306 of 22 December 1984).

New, amended text:

I)   REQUIREMENTS LAID DOWN BY COMMUNITY AND/OR NATIONAL PROVISIONS

| — | Royal Decree 2242/1984 of 26 September 1984 adopting the technical and health rules for the manufacture, marketing and use of pesticides. (Official State Gazette (B.O.E.) No 306 of 22 December 1984). |
| --- | --- |

—

Royal Decree 2242/1984 of 26 September 1984 adopting the technical and health rules for the manufacture, marketing and use of pesticides. (Official State Gazette (B.O.E.) No 306 of 22 December 1984).

| — | Order of 20 April 2001 of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Water and the Environment establishing the Regulatory Board for the Designation of Origin ‘Pimentón de Murcia’. |
| --- | --- |

—

Order of 20 April 2001 of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Water and the Environment establishing the Regulatory Board for the Designation of Origin ‘Pimentón de Murcia’.

| — | Order of 17 December 2001 of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Water and the Environment approving the rules for the Designation of Origin ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ and its Regulatory Board. |
| --- | --- |

—

Order of 17 December 2001 of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Water and the Environment approving the rules for the Designation of Origin ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ and its Regulatory Board.

| — | Royal Decree 1335/2011 of 3 October 2011 establishing the procedure for processing applications for the registration of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications and objections to such applications |
| --- | --- |

—

Royal Decree 1335/2011 of 3 October 2011 establishing the procedure for processing applications for the registration of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications and objections to such applications

Reason:

This paragraph is amended to bring the applicable rules into alignment with current legislation.

The amendments under sections G and I do not affect the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘PIMENTÓN DE MURCIA’

EU No: PDO-ES-0113-AM02 – 2.2.2021

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

’Pimentón de Murcia'

2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.8. Other products from Annex I to the Treaty (spices, etc.)

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

Product resulting from the milling of completely red peppers of the genus Capsicum annuum L., ‘Bola’ variety. The peppers used must be harvested, ripe, healthy, clean, dry and entirely free from pests or diseases and they must be grown in the demarcated production area.

Organoleptic characteristics:

The pimentón is entirely sweet, with a characteristically strong aroma, high colouring power, fat content and distinctive taste. It is shiny red in colour. It is very stable in terms of colour and aroma.

Physico-chemical characteristics:

Particle size: the pimentón must be milled so that it passes through a No 16 sieve or screen on the ASTM scale (equivalent to a 1,19 mm mesh).

| — | Metallic residues: maximum arsenic 1 p.p.m. and maximum lead 4 p.p.m. |
| --- | --- |

—

Metallic residues: maximum arsenic 1 p.p.m. and maximum lead 4 p.p.m.

| — | Food or food ingredients: addition of edible vegetable oils up to a maximum of 8 % of the dry product by mass. |
| --- | --- |

—

Food or food ingredients: addition of edible vegetable oils up to a maximum of 8 % of the dry product by mass.

| — | Foreign matter: There is a ban on the addition of seeds from other varieties of peppers used in the manufacture of canned peppers, placentas, calyces and stalks in a greater proportion than that of the fruit itself, artificial colourings and other substances affecting the parameter values defining the qualities. |
| --- | --- |

—

Foreign matter: There is a ban on the addition of seeds from other varieties of peppers used in the manufacture of canned peppers, placentas, calyces and stalks in a greater proportion than that of the fruit itself, artificial colourings and other substances affecting the parameter values defining the qualities.

Analytical characteristics of paprika in the commercial category Extra:

| — | Colour (at the time of milling) — Minimum ASTA units: ≥ 120 |
| --- | --- |

—

Colour (at the time of milling) — Minimum ASTA units: ≥ 120

| — | Maximum humidity expressed as %: ≤ 14 % |
| --- | --- |

—

Maximum humidity expressed as %: ≤ 14 %

| — | Maximum ether extract of dry matter expressed as %: ≤ 20 % |
| --- | --- |

—

Maximum ether extract of dry matter expressed as %: ≤ 20 %

| — | Maximum ash in dry matter expressed as %:






  — | Totals: ≤ 9,4 % |
| --- | --- | --- |

—

Maximum ash in dry matter expressed as %:

—

Totals: ≤ 9,4 %

| — | Insoluble: ≤ 0,7 % |
| --- | --- |

—

Insoluble: ≤ 0,7 %

| — | Raw fibre in dry matter expressed as %: 27 % |
| --- | --- |

—

Raw fibre in dry matter expressed as %: 27 %

| — | Maximum capsaicin expressed as %: ≤ 0,003 % |
| --- | --- |

—

Maximum capsaicin expressed as %: ≤ 0,003 %

Analytical characteristics of paprika in the commercial category Primera (Class I):

| — | Colour (at the time of milling) — Minimum ASTA units: ≥ 90 |
| --- | --- |

—

Colour (at the time of milling) — Minimum ASTA units: ≥ 90

| — | Maximum humidity expressed as %: ≤ 14 % |
| --- | --- |

—

Maximum humidity expressed as %: ≤ 14 %

| — | Maximum ether extract of dry matter expressed as %: ≤ 23 % |
| --- | --- |

—

Maximum ether extract of dry matter expressed as %: ≤ 23 %

| — | Maximum ash in dry matter expressed as %:






  — | Totals: ≤ 9,9 % |
| --- | --- | --- |

—

Maximum ash in dry matter expressed as %:

—

Totals: ≤ 9,9 %

| — | Insoluble: ≤ 1 % |
| --- | --- |

—

Insoluble: ≤ 1 %

| — | Raw fibre in dry matter expressed as %: 28 % |
| --- | --- |

—

Raw fibre in dry matter expressed as %: 28 %

| — | Maximum capsaicin expressed as %: ≤ 0,003 % |
| --- | --- |

—

Maximum capsaicin expressed as %: ≤ 0,003 %

3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

Both products, paprika in the commercial category ‘Extra’ and paprika in the commercial category ‘Primera’ [Class I] must be made from completely red peppers of the genus Capsicum annuum L., ‘Bola’ or ‘Americano’ varieties, grown in the production area.

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

Production of the raw material and production of the protected product.

The stages in the production or cultivation of the raw material include the hotbox, land preparation, fertilisation, planting, transplantation, irrigation and fertilisation.

The processing stages include harvesting, drying the peppers and milling the dried shells.

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

The milling and packaging process must take place quickly and in proximity, so as to preserve the specific characteristics of the product and avoid possible changes in moisture which would affect its subsequent preservation.

It is therefore considered that ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO must be packaged within the defined area, as the next step after milling, in order to maintain its quality and specific characteristics and guarantee product traceability and control.

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

The packaging of the products covered by the Protected Designation of Origin ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ intended for consumption must be identified by a numbered label or secondary label, which must be supplied in advance by the Regulatory Board in accordance with the applicable rules.

The label for the protected paprika must prominently feature the words ‘Denominación de Origen “Pimentón de Murcia”’, the commercial category ‘Extra’ or ‘Primera’ [Class I] and the type of drying process employed, either ‘Secado al sol’ [sun-dried] or ‘Secado en secadero’ [Dried in drying chamber], in addition to the information and requirements laid down in the applicable legislation.

The words ‘Pimientos desrabados’ [destalked peppers], ‘Pimientos sin rabo’ [peppers with no stalk] or ‘Pimientos sin pedúnculo’ [peppers without stalks] may be featured on an optional basis.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The defined geographical area comprises the following municipalities in the provinces of Murcia, Almería, Granada and Alicante:

| — | Province of Murcia: Alhama de Murcia, Beniel, Caravaca, Cartagena, Fortuna, Fuente Álamo, Librilla, Lorca, Mazarrón, Molina de Segura, Murcia, Puerto Lumbreras, San Javier, Santomera, Torre Pacheco and Totana. |
| --- | --- |

—

Province of Murcia: Alhama de Murcia, Beniel, Caravaca, Cartagena, Fortuna, Fuente Álamo, Librilla, Lorca, Mazarrón, Molina de Segura, Murcia, Puerto Lumbreras, San Javier, Santomera, Torre Pacheco and Totana.

| — | Province of Almería: Pulpí, Velez Blanco and Velez Rubio. |
| --- | --- |

—

Province of Almería: Pulpí, Velez Blanco and Velez Rubio.

| — | Province of Granada: Orce and Puebla de Don Fadrique. |
| --- | --- |

—

Province of Granada: Orce and Puebla de Don Fadrique.

| — | Province of Alicante: Elche, Guardamar del Segura, Orihuela, Pilar de la Horadada and Torrevieja. |
| --- | --- |

—

Province of Alicante: Elche, Guardamar del Segura, Orihuela, Pilar de la Horadada and Torrevieja.

5.   Link with the geographical area

Specificity of the product

The specificity of the product, which makes ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ unique from other paprikas, is determined by its organoleptic and physico-chemical characteristics as defined in point 3.2.

Causal link between the quality and characteristics of the product described in the product specification:

This is reflected in the following natural and human factors:

Natural factors

The production area for peppers covered by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO is located in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula and includes municipalities from the Murcia Region, Alicante, Almería and Granada. The relief is complex. The land located in the municipalities of Alhama de Murcia, Beniel, Cartagena, Molina de Segura, Murcia, San Javier, Santomera and Torrepacheco in the Murcia region and Elche, Guardamar del Segura, Pilar de la Horadada and Orihuela in Alicante is at an altitude of less than 200 m. This zone accounts for less than half of the geographical area.

Most of the land is at medium or high altitudes. The municipalities of Caravaca, Fortuna, Librilla, Lorca, Mazarrón, Puerto Lumbreras and Totana in the Murcia region, Orce and Puebla de Don Fadrique in Granada and Pulpí, Vélez Blanco and Vélez Rubio in Almería are at higher altitudes ranging between 200 m and 2 000 m.

This difference in altitude within the defined area determines the growing seasons, which may vary according to climate.

Post-orogenic materials are very common in the geographical area concerned, particularly marl, clay, evaporite rocks and conglomerates.

Quaternary deposits are present in large expanses of plains and river basins, sometimes forming spectacular glacis. These areas generally have the best land for growing both rainfed and irrigated crops.

The soils used to grow peppers covered by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO can be classified as saline. Salinity in soils with lower salt content is structural and inherent in the formation of the soil itself. In other cases it can be due to chlorides added as a result of irrigation.

In general, the climate is temperate, with a Mediterranean influence and some continental features. It is characteristically semi-arid, with rainfall of about 200 mm to 500 mm and high average potential evapotranspiration levels, reaching 180 in many localities in July and August.

Peppers covered by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO are warm climate crops that require heat to thrive. Daytime temperatures of between 20 °C and 25 °C and night-time temperatures of between 16 °C and 18 °C are deemed to be necessary for optimal development and production. Floral abortions occur when temperatures rise above 32 °C, especially in dry conditions. When there is high relative humidity, the plant tolerates temperatures of more than 40 °C.

The crop requires significant ambient humidity (RH of between 50 % and 70 %) especially during the flowering and fruit-setting stages. During the early stages of development, it requires and tolerates a higher relative humidity than in the latter stages.

Peppers also require a lot of light during the growing season, especially during the flowering, fruit-setting and ripening stages. Light levels are therefore a limiting factor. Insufficient light causes the plant to whiten and the internodes and stems to become elongated, meaning they are left weakened and unable to bear the weight of the harvest.

Conditions are similar in the defined geographical area at different times of the year, with the result that the sowing and harvesting seasons can be extended in certain locations.

Human factors

As well as the growing conditions, the human factor, i.e. the expertise of the producers, also has an impact on the production of peppers covered by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO.

That is why the production process for peppers covered by the ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO is based on the know-how of the producers. Plot selection, the system used to prepare the soil for sowing, seed selection, planting and harvesting all have a direct impact on the characteristics of the end product. This is why producers familiar with the needs of the pepper crop for ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ PDO have been able to extend their crops to land with the same natural characteristics, particularly as regards temperature, humidity and light levels.

Propagation is carried out using seeds selected from the best plants in the previous harvest (normally the first picking) and from sun-dried peppers preserved in minimal light and cool temperature conditions. Seeds would traditionally be kept in earthenware jars or tin boxes in order to guarantee these conditions of minimal light and cool temperature until sowing time.

After the seeds are selected, it is time for them to be sown. A generous amount of fertiliser or manure is added at the time of sowing and seeds are protected from the cold. Checks are conducted on the seeds sown in mid-December or early January. Given that the temperatures at that time of year are not suitable for germination or for young plants to develop, producers used to set up special hotbeds known as ‘almajaras’ for the seedlings. To protect against the cold, they were covered with reeds or brushwood and a fine layer of top soil followed by gravel to prevent the surface from hardening into a crust. The ‘almajaras’ consisted of rectangular hollows in the soil, about 1,5 m wide and with a length that would depend on how level the plot was. The seeds would be sown in the middle, forming a kind of line. These days plastic covers known as ‘planteles’ are used to protect against the cold, with the same hotbed function as the ‘almajaras’. Alternatively, the seeds are sown in a honeycomb formation on sowing trays with a good substrate, as this ensures that the seeds (selected by farmers or certified) can be kept in optimal controlled temperature conditions by the staff in charge.

‘Pimentón de Murcia’ is valued both as colouring and seasoning, and these characteristics depend on the variety and the fact that the pepper crop is grown in saline soils under the conditions described above. The staggered harvesting of the peppers by hand is also of crucial importance and has a direct impact on the end product, because it allows the peppers to be selected when they are at their ripest, which is when colour intensity is at a maximum and water content at a minimum.

Planting is never carried out before 15 April. The date that has traditionally been considered best for avoiding frost is 25 April, the feast of St Mark. Planting is carried out in grooves or using a plastic base, with seedlings being placed a hand span apart in a triangular layout. They are then irrigated by flooding or on a localised level to enable better control of scarce water and fertilisers.

The timing of the harvest is crucial in obtaining peppers with the sensory characteristics of the product covered by the PDO. Peppers are harvested by hand and only those that are fully ripe are picked. It is the producers, with their product expertise, that determine when the time is right. They are able to distinguish which peppers on each plant have attained optimal ripeness, i.e. maximum colour intensity, highest natural pigment content and minimum water content.

After the peppers were picked, they would be spread out on a kind of wattle or laid out on the slopes of the hillocks, depending on how big or small the batch was, until they became dehydrated by the heat of the sun. This traditional drying method has been preserved over the years, although drying chambers have also been introduced.

The drying and subsequent milling of the peppers are essential processes for preserving the characteristics of the fresh peppers in the end product, ‘Pimentón de Murcia’ paprika. Both the traditional drying method (in which the peppers are dried by direct exposure to sunlight) and the method involving hot air and controlled time and temperature produce pepper ‘shells’ with a moisture content of less than or equal to 14 %. This dehydration is maintained until the milling stage by keeping the shells in dry premises, so that the ‘crushing’ they undergo in the hammer mill can bring out all the oils that give the product covered by the PDO its distinctive characteristics.

This production and processing system has remained unchanged since the first seeds were brought over from America in the 16th century. The growing system throughout the Mediterranean area spread according to the climate conditions and to make the most of the saline soils. The initial production in the Segura valley spread to neighbouring areas such as Campo de Cartagena, Campo de Elche and the Guadalentín valley, with the latter being the largest production area.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/alimentacion/temas/calidad-diferenciada/dop-igp/htm/DOP_Pimenton_Murcia_modif_mayor.aspx

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

(*1)  At the time of milling.

(*2)  At the time of milling.

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