EN Official Journal of the European Union C 42/7

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

2010/C 42/04

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘JABŁKA ŁĄCKIE’

EC No: PL-PGI-0005-0617-05.07.2007

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Name:

‘Jabłka łąckie’

2. Member State or third country:

Poland

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1. Type of product (as in Annex II):

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

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

1. Apples of the following varieties may be sold under the protected name ‘jabłka łąckie’: Characteristics of ‘jabłka łąckie’ Variety Skin colour Blush (colour and surface) Average acidity (g/kg) Refracto-metric extract (Brix) Minimum firmness (kg/cm2) Extra class Class I 1 IDARED and sports yellow-green red > 55 % red > 35 % 6,3 > 10,5 5 2 JONAGOLD and sports yellow-green bright to deep red > 40 % bright to deep red > 18 % 4,8 > 10,5 5 3 CHAMPION and sports yellow-green faint pink stripes > 54 % faint pink stripes > 33,3 % 5,1 > 9,5 4,5 4 LIGOL and sports yellow-green faint red stripes > 56 % faint red stripes > 38 % 6,0 > 9,5 5 5 GOLDEN DELICIOUS and sports green-yellow pink > 25 % pink > 10 % 5,2 > 10,5 5 6 GALA and sports bright green-yellow red > 40 % red > 20 % 3,7 > 10,5 5 7 BOSKOOP green-grey-yellow grey-red > 25 % grey-red > 10 % 12,0 > 11 5 8 RED BOSKOOP green-grey-yellow red > 55 % red > 37 % 12,0 > 11 5 9 ELISE green-yellow red > 75 % red > 53 % 7,5 > 10,5 5,5 10 EARLY GENEVA green-yellow red > 40 % red > 10 % 9,2 > 9,5 4,5 11 TOPAZ green-yellow red > 56 % red > 34 % 9,0 > 10,5 5 12 LOBO green-yellow red > 53 % red > 36 % 5,2 > 10,5 4,5 13 RUBIN and sports green-yellow bright red stripes > 40 % bright red stripes > 17 % 6,9 > 11 5 14 GLOSTER green-yellow dark red > 59 % dark red > 38 % 5,9 > 10,5 5,5 15 JONAGORED and sports yellow-green dark red > 75 % dark red > 54 % 4,9 > 10,5 5

2. The external appearance of the fruits depends on the characteristics of the variety in question. The basic colour is characteristic of the variety in question and the blush is clearly more intense than average. Some varieties have a waxy bloom. The fruits have a tendency to develop russeting.

3. ‘Jabłka łąckie’ must belong to the quality categories Extra or I.

4. The firmness of the flesh is not less than 6,5 kg/cm2 at the time of picking, and not less than 4,5 kg/cm2 at the end of the apple’s storage period.

5. A typical characteristic of ‘jabłka łąckie’ is their relatively high acidity (3,7-12,0 g/kg). As a result, ‘jabłka łąckie’ are said to have a ‘mountain-green note’ or, in other words, they have a distinctive taste, and are tart and aromatic.

6. The refractometric extract ranges from 9 to 16 °Bx.

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 identified geographical area:

According to the specification, orchards where ‘jabłka łąckie’ are grown must be located in the geographical area defined in section 4. The following steps in production must also take place in this area:

— pruning,

— fertilising,

— watering,

— tending,

— storage (until time of packaging).

All production steps are carried out in accordance with the legislation laying down the principles of the Integrated Production (IP) system.

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

None

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling:

All producers and enterprises packaging ‘jabłka łąckie’ are required to use a standard label. Labels will be distributed by the ‘Stowarzyszenie Łącka Droga Owocowa’. This association forwards detailed rules on the distribution of the labels to the inspection body. These rules may not in any way discriminate against producers who do not belong to the association.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area:

‘Jabłka łąckie’ are produced in the municipalities of Łącko, Podegrodzie and Stary Sącz (which are in the Nowy Sącz district) and Łukowica (which is in the Limanowa district) in the Lesser Poland (Małopolskie) voivodship.

5. Link with the geographical area:

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:

The area in which ‘jabłka łąckie’ are grown is situated in the Kotlina Łącka (Łącko Basin). It is bounded to the east by the Jazowski mountain range, through which the River Dunajec flows into the wide intermontane Sącz Basin. Given the mountainous location, the climate in the designated area is mild and favours plant production, offering especially good conditions for fruit farming.

The soils in the region are compact, non-skeletal (less than 10 % skeletal) or slightly skeletal (10-25 %). This enables the trees to take root better without significantly disturbing oxygen or water profiles. Since the soils are generally very compact, the sloping land creates favourable conditions for planting fruit trees. The slope of the land (most orchards are located on slopes with a gradient of between 5 and 15°) means that excess water can drain away periodically. Excess amounts of water in the compact soil would be detrimental to the water profiles and influence the development of fungal diseases. The average annual total precipitation ranges from 700 to 1 000 mm. The large difference between day-time and night-time temperatures is a key feature of the Łącko region. The daily temperature range during the period of the fruit's ripening and harvesting often exceeds 10 °C. Night-time frost is also very frequent.

The skills honed by local people over the centuries and their characteristic temperament played an important part in developing fruit farming in the area. People who have travelled to and observed this region throughout the different periods of history have underlined the acuity, perceptiveness, obstinacy and patience of its inhabitants (known as ‘White Highlanders’). Such traits are important for developing the economic sector in question. It should also be stressed that, in an effort to achieve higher quality and to disturb the natural environment as little as possible, local fruit-farmers have introduced the integrated production (IP) system. Under this system, local fruit growers are required to adapt their production methods to the climate and soil conditions prevailing in the area defined in section 4. The aim of this is to preserve specific quality-related properties of ‘jabłka łąckie’.

5.2. Specificity of the product:

‘Jabłka łąckie’ are characterised by:

— a blush which is more intense than the average for a given variety (see section 3.2),

— the firmness of their flesh, which is not less than 6,5 kg/cm2 at the time of picking and not less than 4,5 kg/cm2 at the end of the apple’s storage period,

— a refractometric extract ranging from 9 to 16 °Bx,

— a high total acidity (tart ‘jabłka łąckie’ (over 7 g/kg): Boskoop, Red Boskoop, Elise, Topaz, Early Geneva; medium-acidity ‘jabłka łąckie’ (3,7-7,0 g/kg): Idared and sports, Jonagold and sports, Champion and sports, Ligol and sports, Golden Delicious and sports, Gala and sports, Lobo, Rubin and sports, Gloster, Jonagored and sports), which is why ‘jabłka łąckie’ are said to have a ‘mountain-green note’ or, in other words, they are distinctly tart and aromatic.

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

The link between ‘jabłka łąckie’ and the geographical area indicated in section 4 is derived from the specific quality-related characteristics described in section 5.2 which are the result of the natural factors described in section 5.1.1 and the reputation which the apples enjoy.

The big differences in the day-time and night-time temperatures have a positive influence on the organoleptic, physico-chemical properties of the fruit, and in particular on the extent of the blush and the acidity of the apples. The exceptional nature of ‘jabłka łąckie’ is also confirmed by sensory analyses. These analyses confirm that the fruit is distinguished by the more pronounced intensity of the above characteristics, including its firmness, compared with apples from other geographical areas. The firmness of the fruit when it is harvested and after correct storage guarantees the crunchiness of ‘jabłka łąckie’.

‘Jabłka łąckie’ have developed a reputation on the strength of a long-standing tradition of production, as attested by the fact that, as far back as the 13th century, fresh plums and apples were carried from the Łącko area to Gdansk (W. Bazelich, ‘Historie starosądeckie’, Kraków 1965, p. 173). Orchards in the Łącko area are referred to in 16th-century documents as ‘manor gardens’ and ‘parish gardens’. In the 17th and 18th centuries, there were already large orchards in these areas. Manorial records of an inspection conducted in 1698 report among other things that some peasants were obliged to gather fruit and deliver it to the manor as part of their corvée.

A festival called ‘Dni Kwitnącej Jabłoni’ (the Apple Blossom Festival) has been held since 1947. This festival was born out of a desire to defend the fruit-farming tradition in Łącko against a plan to build a dam on the River Dunajec and flood the town. Since that time, the festival has been celebrated every year in May and is still as popular as ever. Regional groups, brass bands and well-known Polish performers take part at this event. The stalls and displays (with fruit, culinary treats, works by folk artists, etc.) are also impressive. Information about the Apple Blossom Festival is published in the press. During the festival, not only tourists from throughout Poland but also scientists and academics from agricultural institutes and universities visit Łącko. All of this shows just how very important this economic sector is for the local population.

The reputation of ‘jabłka łąckie’ is also borne out by media broadcasts, for instance reports shown on Telewizja Polska’s ‘Tydzień’ programme (2007) and on Telewizja Trwam and Telewizja Polonia. Reports have been broadcast on Radio Kraków. They include ‘Forum Ekonomiczne w Krynicy’ (2006), ‘Owocobranie’ (2006, 2007), ‘Święto Kwitnącej Jabłoni’ (2008). Articles on the product have also been published in the press: ‘Jabłka łąckie produktem regionalnym’ (Hasło Ogrodnicze, 2005), ‘Trzy pytania do …’ (‘Dziennik Polski’, 6 July 2007), ‘Małopolski festiwal smaku’ (the weekly ‘Extra’, 17 July 2008), ‘Krapik tygrysem Europy’ (‘Dziennik Polski’, 30 July 2007), ‘Łącka Droga Owocowa’ (‘Nasz Dziennik’, 2 August 2007), ‘Owoc pod ochroną’ (‘Tarnowski Gość Niedzielny’).

The growth in the reputation of ‘jabłka łąckie’ over the years has been influential in increasing supplies of the apples. The great importance of apples for the area indicated in section 4 is also borne out by the fact that around 80 % of the total farming area is indeed used for cultivating apple trees. In the area in question, a total of 3 000 ha is taken up by apple orchards. The municipality of Łącko accounts for 50 %, the municipality of Stary Sącz for 15 %, the municipality of Podegrodzie for 18,3 % and the municipality of Łukowica for 16,7 % of the orchards in this area.

‘Jabłka łąckie’ took first prize in the plant products and preparations category at the Seventh Nationwide ‘Our Culinary Heritage’ Competition for the best food product from Lesser Poland.

Reference to publication of the specification:

http://www.minrol.gov.pl/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabOrgId=1620&LangId=0

(1) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.