EN Official Journal of the European Union C 148/20

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2009/C 148/11

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘MELA DI VALTELLINA’

EC No: IT-PGI-0005-0574-28.11.2006

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Name:

‘Mela di Valtellina’

2. Member State or third country:

Italy

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1. Type of product (Annex II):

Class 1.6.: Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

3.2. Description of the product to which the name in point 1 applies:

For the production of ‘Mela di Valtellina’ the following varieties are used: ‘RED DELICIOUS’ — ‘GOLDEN DELICIOUS’ — ‘GALA’. When released for consumption, they have the following characteristics: RED DELICIOUS: thick, non-waxy epicarp of a brilliant, intense red colour, with the dominant colour covering more than 80 % of the surface, smooth, with no russeting or greasiness, resistant to handling. Long truncated cone shape with five lobes and a pentagonal equatorial plane. Minimum diameter of 65 mm. Minimum sugar content of more than 10° Brix. Flesh: white with an aroma of apple of medium intensity. Intense honey, jasmine and apricot aromas. Very crunchy and juicy. Dominant sweet flavour with appreciable acidity and aroma of medium intensity. No bitterness. Firmness of the flesh not less than 5 kg/cm2. GOLDEN DELICIOUS are characterised by: non-waxy intense yellow epicarp when ripe, sometimes pink on the part exposed to the sun, sometimes with russeting, susceptible to damage on handling. Spherical or long truncated cone shape, slightly ribbed on the transverse section. Minimum diameter of 65 mm. Minimum sugar content of more than 11,5° Brix. Flesh of creamy white colour with intense apple aroma, medium firmness, crispiness and juiciness and almost no hint of mealiness. The fruit is distinguished by its sweetness, although with a significant degree of acidity, a sign of its freshness. Medium intensity apple aroma. No bitterness. Firmness of the flesh not less than 5 kg/cm2. GALA have the following characteristics: brilliant red epicarp, with the red colour covering a minimum of 30 % of the surface in the case of standard Gala and 65 % in that of improved clones. Short truncated cone shape, with five, fairly pronounced apical lobes. Minimum diameter of 65 mm. Minimum sugar content of more than 11° Brix. Flesh of creamy white colour with medium intense aroma. Medium firm and very juicy with no mealiness. The flavour is sweet, with little acidity and a pleasant, medium intense aroma. No bitterness. Firmness of the flesh not less than 5 kg/cm2. Fruit of quality classes ‘Extra’ and ‘I’ are released for consumption.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only):

—

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only):

—

3.5. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area:

Production operations must take place within the defined geographical area.

3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:

Mela di Valtellina is released for consumption in corrugated cardboard bins — cardboard trays — telescopic boxes (traypak) — wooden crates — reusable plastic crates — sealed packs containing a number of apples (trays, boxes and bags).

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling:

The words ‘Mela di Valtellina Indicazione Geografica Protetta’ or its acronym IGP must appear, clearly and perfectly legibly in letters larger than those of any other wording present, on sealed packaging or individual fruit. Where individual stickers are used, these must be present on at least 70 % of the fruit in the package. Where such stickers are not used, the fruit must be put up in closed, sealed packs. The logo comprises the words ‘Mela di Valtellina Indicazione Geografica Protetta’. The colours to be used are red (pantone red 032), green (pantone 355) and black (100 %). The typeface is ‘Futura Bold’.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area:

The production area of ‘Mela di Valtellina’ comprises the following municipalities of the Province of Sondrio: Albosaggia, Andalo Valtellino, Ardenno, Berbenno di Valtellina, Bianzone, Buglio in Monte, Caiolo, Castello dell’Acqua, Castione Andevenno, Cedrasco, Cercino, Chiavenna, Chiuro, Cino, Civo, Colorina, Cosio Valtellino, Dazio, Delebio, Dubino, Faedo Valtellino, Forcola, Fusine, Gordona, Grosio, Grosotto, Lovero, Mantello, Mazzo di Valtellina, Menarola, Mese, Mello, Montagna in Valtellina, Morbegno, Novate Mezzola, Piateda, Piantedo, Piuro, Poggiridenti, Ponte in Valtellina, Postalesio, Prata Camportaccio, Rogolo, Samolaco, San Giacomo Filippo, Sernio, Sondalo, Sondrio, Spriana, Talamona, Teglio, Tirano, Torre di Santa Maria, Tovo di Sant’Agata, Traona, Tresivio, Verceia, Vervio, Villa di Chiavenna and Villa di Tirano.

5. Link with the geographical area:

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:

What makes the area in which ‘Mela di Valtellina’ is grown special is the favourable exposure of the Valtelline Valley. The valley runs east to west and is protected to the north by the Rhaetian Alps and to the south by the Orobian Pre-Alps. It therefore enjoys a very mild climate and is ventilated by the Foehn, a hot, dry wind that causes temperatures to soar and atmospheric humidity to plummet. The valley climbs from 200 m to 900 m above sea level, meaning that orchards are well exposed to light and well ventilated. The orchards are mainly located in rugged, permeable alluvial cones where there is virtually no water stagnation and soils are subacidic or acidic.

5.2. Specificity of the product:

Organoleptic analysis has shown the characteristics shared by the three varieties of ‘Mela di Valtellina’, i.e. firm, compact, crunchy and aromatic flesh. In particular,

— the flesh of the Gala variety is fairly compact and very juicy with no mealiness. The flavour is sweet, with little acidity and no bitterness and a medium intense aroma,

— Golden Delicious exhibits medium firmness, crispiness and juiciness, with no mealinesss. The flavour is sweet and the aroma intense,

— Red Delicious has an intense aroma with notes of honey, jasmine and apricot. The flesh is very firm, crunchy and juicy. The aroma is of medium intensity.

Another characteristic is the very intense colour of the fruit and its very attractive elongated shape, characteristics that are intensified by the amount of sunlight received as a result of the valley’s exposure described in point 4.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI):

The reputation of ‘Mela di Valtellina’ goes back to the period after the Second World War and has grown over the years, thanks to the efforts of the various agricultural cooperatives that, in cooperation with university institutes specialising in apple-growing, have consolidated apple-growing in the Valtelline Valley. Already in 1968 the ‘Second National Conference on Mountain Fruit Cultivation’ took place in Ponte in Valtellina, sponsored by the Società Orticola Italiana (Italian Horticultural Society), followed in 1983 by the ‘Conference on Varietal Selection and the Improvement of Mountain Fruit Cultivation’.

Cultivation of the apple tree is based on a number of traditional, consolidated practices. These practices are now used in commercial apple growing, which, as it has grown over the years, has become one of the cornerstones of the valley’s economy, since there is a wide range of related activities, such as mechanisation, irrigation works, the supply of technical equipment, marketing services, packaging, transport, etc. The reputation of apple-growing in the Valtelline Valley has also attracted big investments, one example being the irrigation system covering 2 000 ha managed by the Consorzio Sponda Soliva. Created in the 1970s, it was financed by loans from the EAGGF.

The growing popularity of the fruit with consumers over the years is due to the qualities of the production area. The fact that the valley runs east to west, the only Alpine fruit-growing valley to do so, increases the area’s exposure to sunlight, a factor that contributes to giving the fruit’s epicarp the characteristics described in point 3.2. The orthography of the area, which permits excellent exposure to sunlight, together with a big difference between day-time and night-time temperatures, loose soils with no water stagnation and a balanced rainfall pattern which means that the epicarp of the fruit is alternately soaked and dried out, provide the most favourable conditions for ripening the apples, giving them firm, crunchy flesh and a more elongated, slightly ribbed shape.

The three varieties covered by the geographical indication are the pick of Valtelline apple production. It is these three varieties, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious and Gala, that have gradually proven to be consumers’ and growers’ favourites, since it is these, more than any other, that reflect the characteristics of the territory, including those shaped by human factors.

The specific character of the area and the skill of growers, who have retained over the years cultivation techniques that respect and protect the valleys and mountains, and the desire of growers since the 1980s to inform consumers about the quality of their apples, stressing their origin in the Valtelline Valley, by means of explicit indications on packaging, have helped give the product a wide consumer base, both in Italy and abroad. This is confirmed by the fact that Mela di Valtellina is sold through supermarkets and specialised outlets, where it is considered to be a top-of-the-range product. The average producer price per kilogram increased from 85 lire for Golden Delicious and 80 lire for the Red variety in 1968 to 105 lire and 110 lire respectively in 1974. By 1979, only a few years later, prices had tripled, reaching 330 lire per kilogram for Golden Delicious and 420 lire per kilogram for Red Delicious. Over the ten years following 1987, average prices per kilogram were 680 lire and 830 lire respectively. Since 1996, prices have shown positive growth and by 2006 were 0,31 euro per kilogram for Golden Delicious and 0,37 euro per kilogram for Red Delicious and Gala. On average, the prices given above for the three varieties were at least 10 % higher than the average national price for the same variety.

Reference to publication of the specification:

The Government launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposal for recognising ‘Mela di Valtellina’ as a PGI in the Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 271 of 21 November 2005.

The full text of the product specification is available:

— on the following website: www.politicheagricole.it/DocumentiPubblicazioni/Search_Documenti_Elenco.htm?txtTipoDocumento=Disciplinare%20in%20esame%20UE&txtDocArgomento=Prodotti%20di%20Qualit%E0>Prodotti%20Dop%20Igp%20e%20Stg or: