EN Official Journal of the European Union C 188/50

Publication of an application 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

(2016/C 188/08)

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).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2)

‘ข้าวสังข์หยดเมืองพัทลุง’ (KHAO SANGYOD MUANG PHATTHALUNG)

EC No: TH-PGI-0005-01115 — 27.5.2013

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Name

‘ข้าวสังข์หยดเมืองพัทลุง’ (Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung)

2. Member State or Third Country

Kingdom of Thailand

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 product to which the name in (1) applies

Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung is grown from Sangyod Phatthalung variety and is the photoperiod-sensitive lowland rice. It is sown, grown, harvested, milled, packaged and labelled in, and indigenous to, the province of Phatthalung in the south of Thailand. Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung is non-glutinous, light, small, lean and gently fragrant. It can be paddy rice, brown rice and semi milled rice.

Physical properties

— The paddy rice is straw-coloured.

— The brown rice’s colour ranges from red to dark red in the same grain.

— The semi-milled rice is colour with light red.

— The grain is long, lean and small. The pericarp is red.

— Gently fragrant with distinctive smell.

Physical characteristic Paddy rice Brown rice Semi-milled rice Length (mm) (9,33 ) 9,1 -9,4 6,50 -6,90 6,40 -6,80 Breadth (mm) (2,11 ) 1,9 -2,25 1,61 -1,81 1,57 -1,87 Thickness (mm) (1,77 ) 1,7 -1,8 1,51 -1,71 1,44 -1,64 Colour Straw-coloured Red or dark red Light red

Chemical properties

Chemical characteristics Paddy rice Brown rice Semi-milled rice Protein (%) N/A 7-10 6-9 Amylose (% db) N/A 13-17 The kernel elongation ratio N/A 1,5 -1,8

Cooking characteristics

Rice and water ratio for cooking is 1 cup of rice to 1,25-2 cups of water.

For the extra soft texture of Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung, soak the grain in water for 5-10 minutes before cooking.

Aroma and flavour

The cooked rice is soft and a little sticky. The taste is slightly sweet with mildly aromatic fragrance.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only)

The seeds used in Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung production must be of Sangyod Phatthalung variety and have to be grown in Phatthalung province, since Phatthalung province has a geographical location suitable for growing Sangyod Phatthalung rice that contributes to the distinctive characteristics and quality of Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung.

The seeds should be produced by Thailand Rice Department and its agencies, such as the Phatthalung Rice Research Centre and the Phatthalung Rice Seed Centre, because they have reliable facilities and comply with the rice seed production standards to produce pure-bred seed with the distinctive characteristics of Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung.

In case the seeds are obtained through other sources such as farmers’ organisations or private organisations, such sources need to be approved by Thailand Rice Department and comply with the rice seed production standards.

In case the farmers breed the rice by themselves, they are allowed to use the approved variety mentioned above (the seeds must be planted within 3 years after obtaining them from the source).

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only)

—

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

The whole production cycle of Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung must take place in the defined geographical area to ensure that it is conducted entirely under the geomorphological conditions. Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung must be grown, dried, stored, milled and processed in the province of Phatthalung. Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung can be traced at each stage by means of accompanying documents, transport receipts and registers

Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung must be grown between August and October, and harvested during its ripening stage between December and February. The harvest is fixed according to the climate and the maturity of the rice. The harvested rice is then stored within the geographical area in silos with regulated temperature and humidity to avoid, in particular, risks of mixture with other rice varieties, possible contamination, high moisture, and prevent the dilution of its distinctive fragrance.

The main production practices of Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung include the following:

— soil preparation; includes first rough plough, second plough, to appropriately control the number of volunteer rice plants (means rice plants that germinated from those seeds remaining in the field from the previous season) and off-type rice (means rice plants of other varieties grown in the rice field, but excluding weedy rice),

— soil fertilisation and improvement should be done on a regular basis,

— rice plant care; implementing appropriate water management, removing the off-type rice in the tillering stage, reproductive phase and maturation stage, appropriately terminating pests,

— cultivation; must be done during the southern wet season (August-October) after the ripening phase. It is a tradition of Phatthalung province to cultivate a bit over ripening rice,

— grain moisture — the humidity of the rice grain must be reduced to 14 % or less.

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

Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung must be packaged and labelled in Phatthalung province. This is to give consumers an effective guarantee of the origin and quality of the rice. Repackaging is not allowed in order to prevent any possible mixture, contamination or alteration of the rice. Furthermore, due to its distinctive fragrance, Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung needs to be packaged in Phatthalung province to prevent the dilution of fragrance.

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling

Package must be labelled with the weight, the date of milling and packing, the name of the mill or the name of the grower or cooperative as well as the package’s lot or serial number.

Each package must bear the word ‘ข้าวสังข์หยดเมืองพัทลุง’ and/or Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung.

The Thai GI logo and the EU logo for PGI (after the granting of the PGI) shall also be used.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

Province of Phatthalung

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

Phatthalung is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are, from north clockwise, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Satun and Trang. The area is 3 424,5 km2 or 2 140 296rai.

Phatthalung is a lowland plain set between the Songkhla Lake to its east and the Bantat mountain range to its west. The plain is created by the deposits from the flooded lake during the monsoon season. The area’s main source of agricultural water is the Songkhla Lake.

The drainage capacity of the soil helps Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung to develop and to mature well, and the water storage and redistribution capacity provides a moderate but continuous level of irrigation even in dry periods.

The climate in Phatthalung has a significant effect on the characteristics of Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung. Because of its southern location, Phatthalung has two climatic influences, both oceanic and continental. The continental influence is responsible for the distinctive dry season characterised by long hours of photoperiod.

5.2. Specificity of the product

Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung refers to paddy rice, brown rice and semi-milled rice, grown in the rainy season in Phatthalung province and exuding a natural aroma. It is characterised by its red pericarp, soft texture when cooked and light fragrant.

Natural factors have a significant impact on the quality, characteristics and uniqueness of the rice. The subsoil in Phatthalung possesses combined qualities of drainage as well as fertile deposits, and water storage and redistribution capacity. Phatthalung has two climatic influences, both oceanic and continental. Owing to the oceanic (Gulf of Thailand) influence, there is considerable rainfall during rainy season and less extremity in temperatures over the seasons. In particular, its lowland location and weather makes the fertile land and climate of Phatthalung contribute to the distinguishing characteristic of Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung: slender grain shape. When Sangyod Phatthalung rice is grown in other provinces, its characteristics will be different, such as being thicker and less red. According to the local tradition, the rice is harvested after ripening phase, making the grain colour more red, more fragrant and softer when cooked, than Sangyod Phatthalung rice grown elsewhere.

These outstanding characteristics are possible only under such unique geomorphological conditions in the southern part of Thailand especially the nature of the soil, water quality, hours of sunshine, narrow range of temperatures and heavy raining season.

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 characteristics of the product (for PGI)

Phatthalung is an important source of rice of southern Thailand since the ancient time. Its vast plains, the right climate and its richness in terms of water source make it ideal for Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung cultivation. There is a legend about the plain between KhaoHin Look Doan Mountains narrating that visitors would see the fresh verdure of endless rice fields at the beginning of the farming season and the same rice fields would turn gold when the harvest time approaches in January and February.

Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung has been grown in Phatthalung for over a hundred years but local people in the province of Phatthalung prefer to consume granule and hard with high amylose content rice, not the soft cooked rice as Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung. Therefore, traditionally Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung is reserved to be given as a gift to respected senior people and cooked for special persons, such as for the royal guests, official foreign visitors, on special occasions, in religious ceremonies or traditional festivals. This tradition has created a reputation for Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung to be known as the rice for special persons and occasions in Phatthalung.

Furthermore the nature of Phatthalung province has significant effects on the production of Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung. Especially the lowland plain of Phatthalung created by the deposits from the flooded lake during the monsoon season providing various nutrients to the soil means the location is suited for producing Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung. It allows Khao Sangyod Muang Phatthalung grown here to have the special characteristics of slender grain shape and being gently fragrant.

This setting is complemented by the meticulous selection of the seeds, careful maintenance, harvesting procedures and standard production process. The procedures and control contributes to preserving the unique quality of the rice.

Reference to publication of the specification

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (3))

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

(2) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) sNo 1151/2012.

(3) Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.