EN Official Journal of the European Union C 34/11

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 34/05

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 from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘SCHROBENHAUSENER SPARGEL’/‘SPARGEL AUS DEM SCHROBENHAUSENER LAND’/‘SPARGEL AUS DEM ANBAUGEBIET SCHROBENHAUSEN’

EC No: DE-PGI-0005-0678-20.02.2008

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Name:

‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’, ‘Spargel aus dem Schrobenhausener Land’, ‘Spargel aus dem Anbaugebiet Schrobenhausen’

2. Member State or third country:

Germany

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1. Type of product (pursuant to Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1898/2006):

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

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

‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’, ‘Spargel aus dem Schrobenhausener Land’ and ‘Spargel aus dem Anbaugebiet Schrobenhausen’ — hereinafter referred to as ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ — are the edible stalks of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) which are put up for sale peeled or unpeeled. ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ is produced according to the rules of good farming practice.

White ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ may vary in colour from white to violet and may not exceed 22 cm in length. Green ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ may not exceed 27 cm in length.

‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ is prepared in accordance with UNECE Standard FFV04 (asparagus).

It is characterised by its typically strong, slightly nutty flavour.

Harvesting once or twice a day and careful and appropriate handling after harvesting guarantee that it will reach consumers fresh regardless of the marketing channel.

3.3. Raw materials (only for processing products):

—

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

—

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

‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ may be cultivated only in the identified areas.

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

After harvesting, the cut asparagus must be rapidly chilled to preserve its quality. The stalks are cut to length and sorted expertly. They must then be stored at 1-2 °C in a place with a high level of humidity. The cold chain must not be interrupted by the producer.

The contents of each package must be consistent, i.e. each unit may only contain asparagus from the Schrobenhausen region (see point 4) of the same quality, colour group and size. The visible part of the package must also be representative of the total content.

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling:

‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ must also be marked with the following image:

4. Concise definition of the geographical area:

The Bavarian cultivation area in which ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ is produced covers the municipalities of Aichach, Aresing, Berg im Gau, Brunnen, Gachenbach, Geisenfeld, Gerolsbach, Hohenwart, Inchenhofen, Karlskron, Kühbach, Langenmosen, Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Pörnbach, Pöttmes, Reichertshofen, Rohrbach, Schrobenhausen and Waidhofen, which are situated in the rural districts of Neuburg-Schrobenhausen, Aichach-Friedberg and Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm.

5. Link with the geographical area:

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:

The name of the town of Schrobenhausen is inextricably linked to its best-known product, ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’, as evidenced by the decades of use of the logo depicting the town of Schrobenhausen in silhouette.

Currently the oldest known document referring to asparagus-growing in Schrobenhausen dates back to 1851 (an article in Wochenblatt dated 12 July 1851).

Just five years later, in 1856, Graf von Sandizell was delivering asparagus to distinguished citizens in Munich. In 1913, Christian Schad from Gross-Gerau planted the first large-scale fields of asparagus.

The area has good growing conditions. Windblown sand soil predominates, with some light tertiary soil which has a typical content of silt and loam. Such soil warms up quickly in spring, is easily tilled and allows the asparagus stalks to grow fast and straight.

The soil is light, sandy and deep with high air permeability. In particular, the cultivation of ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ is restricted to the following types of soil:

Sand (S),

Slightly loamy sand (Sl),

Loamy sand (lS),

Very loamy sand (SL).

The Schrobenhausen growing area is at an elevation of some 400 m above sea level. The average annual temperature is 7,5 °C and average annual rainfall is 827 mm (precipitation over the past 25 years), with an average of 280 mm of rain falling in the period from June to August.

5.2. Specificity of the product:

The quality of ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ is attributable to the climatic conditions described and the types of soil in the defined geographical area.

Its high degree of recognition, demonstrated by a consumer survey carried out by the Technical University of Munich and which comes from the growing conditions (particularly fast growth gives it a tender quality and the typically strong, slightly nutty flavour), goes hand-in-hand with the good reputation and special renown of this agricultural product, which also exist outside the production area. For the consumer, the main reason for this, apart from the above-mentioned special taste of ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’, is its freshness and origin.

The Asparagus Producers' Association of Southern Bavaria (Spargelerzeugerverband Südbayern e.V.) recommends the varieties which particularly meet the agronomic (field trials) and taste requirements based on sensory testing in relation to the specification. It lists these varieties on its homepage (http://www.spargel.de/anbau) and updates the data annually.

‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ has also been included in Bavaria’s database for typical regional specialities, thus emphasising the specificity and exclusivity of the product.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product:

‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ owes its specific qualities not only to the climate and special soils in the region but also to the long tradition of asparagus-growing in the Schrobenhausen production area and the expertise of the farmers who have been growing it for generations. Thanks to the light, sandy soil and the daily harvest ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ has particularly tender stalks.

Renown

Articles in Schrobenhausen’s Wochenblatt of 1914 and advertisements in the 1920s attest to the growing popularity of the asparagus in the Schrobenhausen region. By 1933 its reputation had spread to Munich. In the 1950s many smallholders were cultivating this ‘food of kings’. The growing area for ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ enjoyed its greatest rise in popularity in the mid 1970s and late 1980s.

The asparagus sector today covers some 900 ha of land (including nursery production) and is now one of the principal economic factors in the Schrobenhausen region.

The growers living in the geographical area have been handing down their skills and experience in asparagus-growing from one generation to another for over 90 years. This guarantees the best possible quality, the basis for successful marketing.

The asparagus season in the region is known as the ‘fifth season of the year’, attracting day trippers and tourists from far and near. A book of excursions through the region for cyclists and hikers is devoted to asparagus.

At that time of the year, the focus is on asparagus, both in the home and in restaurants. The local population and some 40 000 persons who visit Schrobenhausen each year for the asparagus season are constantly surprised with ever more creative recipes. During the season markets achieve most of their turnover from asparagus products.

Promoting the link between asparagus and the Schrobenhausen region, the European asparagus museum in Schrobenhausen also attracts many visitors, some 10 000 a year, from around the world.

A ‘Schrobenhausen Asparagus Queen’ has been crowned every year since 1975. She conducts many interviews with the press, radio and TV and carries the good name of ‘Schrobenhausener Spargel’ far beyond the region itself.

Its renown is also documented in studies by the Technical University of Munich and price data from the Central Market and Price Reporting Body (Zentrale Markt- und Preisberichtstelle) and is based on the qualities produced there.

Reference to publication of the specification:

Markenblatt Vol. 6 of 11.2.2005, Part 7, p. 1770

(http://www.publikationen.dpma.de/DPMApublikationen/dld_gd_file.do?id=8)