Publication of an application for registration of a name 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

(2022/C 115/10)

This publication confers the right to oppose the 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.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

’Derecske alma’

EU No: PGI-HU-02586 – 4 September 2019

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Name(s) of PGI

’Derecske alma’

2. Member State or Third Country

Hungary

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.6: Fruit, vegetables and cereals fresh or processed

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

The protected geographical indication ‘Derecske alma’ may be used for apples for fresh consumption of the Braeburn, Gala, Golden Delicious Reinders, Granny Smith, Jonagold, Idared, Pinova and Topaz varieties of the species Malus domestica and all other varieties of the fruit grown in the geographical area, which meet the following quality characteristics:

— Calcium content: min. 75 mg/kg

— Magnesium content: min. 75 mg/kg

— Firmness of flesh: 6,5–7,5 kg/cm2

— Acidity expressed as malic acid: 2–4,1 g/kg

— Sugar level: minimum 10° Brix (Gala, Golden Delicious Reinders, Jonagold, Pinova, Granny Smith, Braeburn); minimum 8° Brix (Idared, Topaz);

— Sugar/acid ratio: minimum 28 (Gala, Golden Delicious Reinders, Jonagold, Pinova); maximum 24 (Braeburn, Granny Smith, Idared, Topaz).

— Size: 65 to 85 mm in diameter (depending on the variety)

— The flesh of ‘Derecske alma’ has a high calcium content and is therefore very firm. This means that the apples are very crisp and can be stored for extended periods.

— Owing to its high sugar content and low acidity, ‘Derecske alma’ has a slightly sweet taste.

Depending on the particular variety, the skin of ‘Derecske alma’ is perceptibly intense yellow (Golden Delicious Reinders, Gala, Pinova, Topaz), intense red (Braeburn, Idared, Jonagold) or intense green (Granny Smith).

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

—

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

‘Derecske alma’ must be grown and harvested only in the geographical area specified in point 4.

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

—

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

—

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Derecske alma’ is grown within the administrative boundaries of the town of Derecske and the villages of Sáránd, Hajdúbagos, Konyár and Tépe in Hajdú-Bihar County.

5. Link with the geographical area

The link of ‘Derecske alma’ with the geographical area is based on quality.

The soil and climate conditions in the Derecske region and the human know-how combine to produce the high quality of ‘Derecske alma’.

Rich in calcium (min. 75 mg/kg) and magnesium (min. 75 mg/kg), the flesh of ‘Derecske alma’ is firm (6,5–7,5 kg/cm2) and has a slightly sweet taste owing to its low acidity, expressed as malic acid (2–4,1 g/kg), and high sugar content (min. 8 or 10° Brix, depending on the variety). Its skin is also a perceptibly bright colour, which depends on the variety. These characteristics are due to the specific natural factors of the geographical area and to human skills.

The production area for ‘Derecske alma’ is an alluvial plain covered with loess sludge in the eastern part of the Great Plain. It has a loess chernozem soil type, with a carbonate layer at its deeper levels, which means that the soil is slightly alkaline. Due to the carbonate layer, it has a good supply of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. The roots of the fruit tree thrive in the moderately humus-rich, not too firm and slightly sandy loess soil, which easily warms up, has good water management properties and a deep topsoil with a crumbly texture. The soil’s oxygen supply is ideal for apple trees.

The entire geographical area has a dry continental climate with moderately warm temperatures. There is a high number of hours of sunshine annually, ranging from 1 960 to 2 000 hours.

The average annual temperature is 10–11 °C. The average temperature in the growing season is 17 °C. Due to continental climatic influences the fruit production area is characterised by high daily temperature fluctuation, in particular during the summer period. In recent years, the daily temperature fluctuation in the summer months has varied between 7 °C and 17 °C.

Human skills have a decisive influence on the quality of apples in the cultivation of ‘Derecske alma’. The regular first pruning is followed by root pruning in March/April. Two weeks before harvesting, the trees are green pruned.

The drip irrigation system is concentrated in a way that it provides the tree roots regularly with small amounts of slightly alkaline water with a low dissolved salt content. Since the water is only partially saturated, the high magnesium and calcium content of the soil dissolves more easily, enabling the apple tree to readily absorb and utilise these nutrients. As a result, ‘Derecske alma’ is rich in magnesium and calcium.

Thanks to its high calcium content, ‘Derecske alma’ has firm, crisp flesh, and can therefore be stored for extended periods with hardly any impact on its natural qualities.

The high magnesium content of the soil also helps the uptake of phosphorus, providing the tree a sufficient supply of energy.

With good supplies of magnesium and phosphorus, the tree has a well-developed root system, which helps better incorporate calcium in the apples. The growth of the trees is considerably more harmonious thanks to the developed root system, soil structure and root pruning. The leaf-fruit ratio is optimised by pruning, thereby helping to balance production. These factors contribute to achieving better-than-average fruit qualities.

The magnesium-rich soil provides the tree a high supply of magnesium and, in addition to the high number of hours of sunshine, it contributes to active photosynthesis. These, in turn, promote sugar production, increasing the sugar content of the apples.

The fact that in the growth period night-time temperatures drop significantly also contributes to the slightly sweet taste and higher sugar content of ‘Derecske alma’. In the growth period (usually between 1 and 20 August), the difference between daytime and night-time temperatures is typically 12–16 °C. As nights cool down, the tree does not take up the assimilates produced during the day, which, in turn, promotes the development of the fruit. Night cooling reduces the warming of the soil and, as a result, root function is stable. Stable root function provides a better nutrient supply and therefore improved nutritional content.

In addition to the above, pre-harvest green pruning contributes to the slightly sweet taste and very intense skin colour typical of the ‘Derecske alma’ variety. This aims to increase the brightness of the apples, thereby obtaining the intense colour and higher sugar level. The intense skin colour of the different varieties is also promoted by the use of anti-ice nets in the course of cultivation, which create a favourable, closed microclimate and have a direct influence on the colouring of the fruit.

‘Derecske alma’ has won prestigious awards for its cultivation culture (the Hortico Debrecen Product Grand Prix in 2006 and the Greennovation Grand Prix in 2014) and its specific quality (the ‘Kitüntetett Minőségi Termék’ (Quality Product Award) in 2011 and the ‘Kiváló Magyar Élemiszer’ (Quality Food from Hungary) in 2011).

Reference to publication of the specification

https://gi.kormany.hu/foldrajzi-arujelzok

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