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

(2021/C 27/11)

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

‘Nagykun rizs’

EU No: PGI-HU-02416 – 22.8.2018

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

‘Nagykun rizs’

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 ‘Nagykun rizs’ may be used for the following white or whole-grain (brown) grains of the Hungarian-bred varieties of the species Oryza sativa L: M-225, M-488, Fruzsina M, Sandora, Dáma, Risabell, Janka, Ábel and Bioryza. It may also be used for all other varieties of rice grown in the geographical area whose white or whole-grain (brown) grains meet the following quality characteristics:

In the case of white rice: purity, at least 99,9 % (m/m); blend, maximum 0,1 % (m/m); red-striped grains, maximum 4 % (m/m); and

In the case of brown rice: purity, at least 99,9 % (m/m); blend, maximum 0,1 % (m/m); milled grains, maximum 1,5 % (m/m); cracked grains, maximum 2 % (m/m).

The arsenic content of ‘Nagykun rizs’ is extremely low, due to the soil characteristics of the geographical areas. It does not exceed 0,1 mg/kg, which is well below the EU limit value.

According to the shape of the rice grain, the grains of each variety may be round, semi-round and long.

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

All production steps: sowing, harvesting, drying and processing.

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

‘Nagykun rizs’ is produced within the administrative boundary of the town of Kisújszállás in the northern area of the Nagykunság in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County.

5. Link with the geographical area

The product’s link with the geographical area is based on quality.

Natural factors:

Kisújszállás is situated on the Great Plain. Production technology benefits from the fact that arable land in the municipality of Kisújszállás is bordered by canals fed by the Hortobágy-Berettyó River, also providing irrigation of the rice fields.

The soil in the production area of ‘Nagykun rizs’ has the following characteristics: up to a depth of 1 m, it has a clay content of between 50 and 60 % and even below 1 m the clay content remains above 40 %. The soil profile is highly compacted; it is very hard when dry, and malleable and sticky when wet. Due to the temporary drainage of the surface soil levels, water will cause the soil – which is high in clay – to swell and become impermeable (Fuchs, 2012).

The development of the rice fields and continued safe production involved installing defence against river and inland flooding, reducing groundwater levels, and constructing irrigation canals. Technical and other work spanning over 150 years established the conditions for rice production in the geographical area, which currently produces high-quality rice thanks to low levels of contamination from biologically harmful heavy metals and to rich supplies of minerals required for rice production.

Human factors:

Rice production in Hungary began after the Second World War, following research by Lajos Kreybig and Ernő Obermayer, and spread in the valley of the Hortobágy-Berettyó River from 1948 onwards. Kisújszállás Város Története [History of the Town of Kisújszállás] mentions that ‘the first leaseholder groups were set up under the Farmers’ Cooperative in Kisújszállás in 1948, chiefly with a view to producing rice’ (p. 161). Later these formed the core of the new cooperative groups.’

The production of ‘Nagykun rizs’ in the geographical area has come with a wealth of knowledge and know-how in the past 70 years, creating numerous technical solutions for production, including the sound and proper preparation of land, nutrient supply, care and selection of varieties, effective disease control and the timely application of appropriate flooding techniques for cultivation, and a careful harvesting process.

‘Nagykun rizs’ is the product of nearly thirty years of development of a strain, and is produced from varieties which have adapted excellently to the soil and climate of the region. In the course of breeding, valuable characteristics were genetically fixed into the varieties which enable them to adapt to the geographical conditions and make use of them. The length of the growing season adapts to the effective amount of heat available on average each year. In the early stages of development they are cold resistant, so that they can withstand the damaging effects of cold snaps in early May. Their roots and metabolism are resistant to the high salt concentration in the soil. In addition, they contain high concentrations of micro-elements important for nutrition.

Special production technologies have been developed in the geographical area (know-how):

— Due to the compacted soil with a high salt content, the seeds require a long period of germination, 40 days. During this time, to promote germination, they need to be flooded up to three or four times. Typically, the plant will not be permanently flooded until it has 6 to 8 leaves. In other geographical areas, where the seeds are sown, this is performed as early as 3 to 4 leaves.

— The rice is harvested when the grains reach a moisture content of 20-24 %, because this results in considerably higher purity. In other geographical areas, harvesting is performed at a drier stage, when the grains have a moisture content of 16 %.

The link between the quality of the product and the geographical environment:

The production technology of ‘Nagykun rizs’ involves flooding the area during the growing period. In consequence, the soil – which has a high clay content even at depths of 1 m – becomes impermeable. Thanks to this, the plant cannot absorb the arsenic released into the groundwater from rocks. This way, the arsenic content of ‘Nagykun rizs’ is significantly lower than rice grown elsewhere.

As a result of the cultivation techniques applied in the geographical area, ‘Nagykun rizs’ meets considerably more stringent quality requirements than rice produced in other geographical areas.

The low arsenic content in the case of ‘Nagykun rizs’ (less than 0,1 mg/kg) is unique in Europe. Thanks to this, exports of ‘Nagykun rizs’ are long-term and continuous to well-known international baby-food producing companies in Germany. In the case of rice used to make food for babies and infants the permitted limit value for arsenic content is 0,1 mg/kg, which ‘Nagykun rizs’ is able to maintain consistently.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

http://eredetvedelem.kormany.hu/download/f/27/02000/11%20FM%20értesítő.pdf

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