EN Official Journal of the European Union C 324/33

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

(2015/C 324/15)

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

‘COCHINILLA DE CANARIAS’

EU No: ES-PDO-0005-01302 – 22.01.2015

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Name

‘Cochinilla de Canarias’

2. Member State or Third Country

Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 2.12. Cochineal

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

‘Cochinilla de Canarias’ is the raw product of animal origin obtained on the Canary Islands from the natural desiccation of adult females of the species Dactylopius coccus (traditionally known as the cochineal insect), a hemipterous insect of the family Coccidae, harvested from the pads of the prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica).

It has the following specific characteristics:

Physico-chemical:

It is a solid made up of grains, each one of which corresponds to a female insect. The grains have an irregular, oval and segmented shape.

The grains vary in size but are always less than 1 cm long.

Moisture content: no more than 13 %.

Carminic acid content: at least 19 % in dry matter.

Organoleptic characteristics:

The texture of the product is grainy and dry to the touch.

The colour ranges from dark grey to black, with reddish and whitish hues from the remains of the cotton-like wax that protects the grain.

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

The cochineal insect feeds on the host plant (Opuntia ficus indica, also classified as Opuntia maxima and Opuntia tomentosa), which was introduced to the Canary Islands before the 19th century and is now a naturalised species on all of the islands on account of its agricultural value for cochineal farming.

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

The following stages of production must take place in the geographical area:

— Cultivation of the host plant

— Inoculation, development and harvesting of the insect

— Drying of the sifted product and preparation prior to packaging

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

The product is packaged in bags made of jute or similar material, preferably natural fibre, which allows ventilation.

Given the characteristics of cochineal, which is a raw product of animal origin that is obtained through the natural desiccation of the insect and has pronounced physico-chemical and organoleptic properties, packaging must take place as soon as possible after drying and sifting, which is why the final product must be packaged on the Canary Islands, specifically in the place in which it is produced. This prevents any alteration of the physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the product, with a view to preserving its quality.

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

The Community ‘Protected Designation of Origin’ logo and the Protected Designation of Origin ‘Cochinilla de Canarias’ must be prominently displayed on the label.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The cochineal is produced on all seven islands of the Canary archipelago.

On Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro, cochineal is produced in coastal areas and medium-altitude areas of up to 1 200 m above sea level. On Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, the production area includes all agricultural land below 600 m above sea level.

5. Link with the geographical area

The causal links between the product’s quality and characteristics and the geographical environment are as follows:

— The geographical location of the Canary Islands: The Canary Islands lie at a latitude of between 27° 37′ and 29° 25′ N and a longitude of between 13° 20′ and 18° 10′ W. It is a geographical location that provides optimal conditions for the production of ‘Cochinilla de Canarias’.

— The Canary Islands lie within the area of influence of the trade winds generated by the Azores High, which produces a temperature inversion and a ‘cloud sea’ and gives rise to a greenhouse effect. The humid trade winds hydrate the cochineal insect’s host plant to just the right degree, so that the humidity is not excessive but allows both the plant and the insect to develop.

— The clouds that generate the greenhouse effect contribute to the stability of the cool Canary Current, which makes the climate of the islands milder.

— The difference in temperature between the warmest and coolest months is less than 10 °C, with temperatures fluctuating between 17 °C and 25 °C, except on the mountain peaks. The stable temperatures are conducive to the development of the insect with very little variation in its physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics, as already described in point 3.2 of this specification.

— The subtropical geographical location of the Canary Islands, which receive an average of 3 000 hours of sunshine per year, ensures that drying can take place naturally, without chemicals and using only natural sunshine.

— The volcanic soils of the Canary Islands are poor and are characterised by a lack of organic matter and an abundance of basalt minerals. They have very specific physical and chemical properties as a result of the amorphous or poorly crystallised components that they contain, such as aluminium silicates and iron and aluminium oxyhydroxides. These components, known as andic materials, give the soil high porosity, low density, high water retentivity and a high capacity to form stable micro-aggregates. The host plants which grow on these soils have a low water content and very low nutritional requirements, which is why the cochineal insects that they host have a low moisture content (less than 13 %) and therefore a high concentration of carminic acid (at least 19 % in dry matter).

There are also human factors that contribute to the characteristics of ‘Cochinilla de Canarias’.

— In contrast to the cochineal obtained in other regions, only one type of host plant (Opuntia ficus indica) and one type of insect (Dactylopius coccus) are cultivated on the Canary Islands. Both the host plant and the insect are perfectly adapted to the geographical environment.

— All stages of production, from planting the cactus and cultivating the parasite to harvesting and drying, are carried out by hand using artisanal methods. This has led to the development of techniques and expertise that have been passed on from one generation to the next and also to the emergence of terms specific to the trade, such as ‘rengues’, ‘cuchara’, ‘milana’, ‘grano’, etc.

It can thus be concluded that a combination of natural and historical factors link ‘Cochinilla de Canarias’ to its geographical environment and the tradition and customs of its producers, thereby giving it its own specific characteristics.

Reference to publication of the product specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agricultura/icca/Doc/Productos_calidad/PLIEGO_DE_CONDICIONES_DOP_COCHINILLA_DE_CANARIAS.pdf

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