EN Official Journal of the European Union C 89/4

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

2009/C 89/04

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘TRUSKAWKA KASZUBSKA’ or ‘KASZËBSKÔ MALËNA’

EC No: PL-PGI-0005-0593-19.03.2007

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Name

‘Truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’

The name ‘truskawka kaszubska’ is most commonly used in commercial transactions involving this product, especially between Kashubians and persons of non-Kashubian origin. This name is used when the product is exported to foreign markets or sold in parts of Poland other than Kashubia. The other name used is ‘kaszëbskô malëna’. This name is most frequently used in common parlance. It comes from the Kashubian language, hence it is most commonly used by the inhabitants of the region i.e. Kashubians. These names may be applied interchangeably.

2. Member State or Third Country

Poland

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

Type of product (as in Annex II)

Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals fresh or processed

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

Only the following varieties of strawberries with the following sensory characteristics may be sold as ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’:

Fruit intended for direct consumption (dessert)

1. Elsanta

1.1. Appearance and shape: fruit at least 18 mm in diameter, ranging from rounded conical to conical in shape, whole, free from damage, with stalk.

1.2. The skin is light-red in colour, glossy, with fairly even colouring; the flesh ranges from pale-pink to light-red in colour, fairly even in cross section.

1.3. Consistency: the flesh is very juicy, firm.

1.4. Taste and smell: sweet, aromatic, balanced, reminiscent of wood strawberry

2. Honeoye

2.1. Appearance and shape: fruit at least 18 mm in diameter, conical and rounded conical in shape, narrowing at the calyx to form a neck, whole, free from damage, with stalk.

2.2. Colour: ranging from intense red to dark red, even spread over the entire surface, with a high gloss. The flesh is a fairly even light-red colour.

2.3. Consistency: the flesh is juicy, very firm.

2.4. Taste and smell: sweet, aromatic, balanced, reminiscent of wood strawberry

For strawberries of the varieties Elsanta and Honeoye to be called ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’, they must have been graded as ‘Extra’ or ‘Class I’. For strawberries to be called ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’, they must have the following characteristics:

— they must be intense red in colour, with at least 80 % colouring,

— they must be uniform in shape, without any irregularities,

— they must be firm to the touch with no traces of rot or signs of disease.

Fruit intended for processing

3. Senga Sengana

3.1. Appearance and shape: fruit of various sizes, broad and conical with truncated top, heart-shaped, heart-shaped/spherical and spherical/rounded, whole without free from damage, with or without stalk.

3.2. Colour: ranging from intense red to dark-red, evenly spread over the entire surface. The flesh is a fairly even intense red colour.

3.3. Consistency: the flesh is firm, juicy or very juicy, and slightly hard.

3.4. Taste and smell: sweet, aromatic, balanced, reminiscent of wood strawberry.

3.2. Raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only)

—

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

All stages of ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’ production should take place in the geographical area specified in (4). The plots of land destined for cultivation must be characterised by poor soils of classes IV, V or VI. The fruit is picked by hand when it is ripe, properly developed, sound, fresh, firm, whole, undamaged, not crushed or dampened, clean and free of mould and plant protection product residues. The strawberries should be planted in a row, every 20-35 cm. The distance between rows should be 70-100 cm. If manure is used, the dosage may not exceed 30 tonnes per hectare. Cultivation techniques, in particular intensive fertilisation, aimed at obtaining yields in excess of 25 tonnes of strawberries per hectare are not permissible.

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

The strawberries should be arranged in layers no more than 10 cm deep.

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling

—

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’ is produced in the Kartuski, Kościerski and Bytowski districts, as well as in the municipalities of Przywidz, Wejherowo, Luzino, Szemud, Linia, Łęczyce and Cewice.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

Environmental conditions are homogeneous within the production area for ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’ specified in (4). Geographically, the area in question is called the Kashubian Lake District and, historically, it is known as Kashubia.

The natural environment in the Kashubian Lake District is different from that of surrounding areas in terms of climate, relief and soil type.

The Kashubian Lake District is characterised by a slightly harsher climate than surrounding areas. This is due to high altitudes of between 180 and 300 m above sea-level. Frequent influxes of polar continental air masses from the east also contribute to the harshness of the climate. Compared to the coastal climate, the seasonal variations in temperature here are substantial. At 700 mm per year, rainfall is slightly higher than the national average, with prevalent westerly winds. The growing season here is one of the shortest in Poland, fluctuating between 180 and 200 days.

The area in question is dominated by podsols formed on sand, gravel and loam. These are classes IV, V and VI soils, i.e. the least fertile types of soil. Brown soils formed on gravel and clay occur to a lesser extent, and are somewhat more fertile than the podsols. Land selected for cultivation usually has a pH of between 5.0 and 6.0. The Kashubian Lake District has a varied postglacial relief characterised by numerous ponds and channel lakes. The production area for ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’ covers 32 municipalities, as many as 21 of which lie within less-favoured areas in lowland zone II, and 10 are in lowland zone I.

5.2. Specificity of the product

The specificity of the strawberries arises particularly from their very strong, exceptional and intense flavour and smell. Furthermore, ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’ strawberries are characteristically sweeter in flavour than fruit from other regions.

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 characteristic of the product (for PGI).

The specific quality characteristics described in (5.2) for ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’ are a result of the specific climatic and soil-related factors outlined in (5.1).

The poor soils and harsh climate of the Kashubian Lake District have the effect of delaying the time of flowering of the strawberries and shortening the growing season. Exposure to natural factors, in particular the harsh climate, has a positive influence on the formation and ripening of the strawberries, while the very poor soils and unfavourable farming conditions are unsuitable for other crops. The big variations in relative altitude enable strawberries to be grown on slopes exposed to sunlight, which ensures proper ripening of the fruit. These factors and the slightly acidic soils are conducive to strawberry-growing.

Historically, it is said that the cultivation of strawberries in Kashubia was introduced in the 1920s and 1930s. The high quality and increasing popularity of the strawberries led to the expansion of strawberry fields over the course of more than half a century, causing them to become an integral part of the Kashubian landscape. In the early 1970s, it was decided that, given the abundance of strawberries, a Strawberry-Picking Festival should be organised. This is an open-air event which takes place every year on the first Sunday in July. The Strawberry-Picking Festival is the biggest event in the region, with visitor numbers in the tens of thousands, increasing every year. The fact that nearly two tonnes of strawberries were sold in a single day in 2005 also bears testimony to the popularity of this festival.

The reputation of ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’ is confirmed by numerous articles and pieces of evidence demonstrating that the product has become part of the culture and identity of the inhabitants of Kashubia. The local press publishes information vital to strawberry growers and comments at length on their efforts to join forces and take a common stand on the ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’, as well as to take action aimed at safeguarding the specific quality, smell and taste of these strawberries.

Measures taken by buyers (cold storage facilities and processing plants) also reflect the good reputation enjoyed by the ‘truskawka kaszubska’, as they leave reserves for purchasing ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’, which appear later than strawberries from other regions of Poland. This reputation is also confirmed by attempts to sell strawberries from other regions, which ripen earlier, under the name ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’.

The reputation of ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’ and its strong links with the geographical area specified in (4) are also confirmed by the results of consumer surveys. No fewer than 67 % of respondents knew at least one of the names under which the product is sold (‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’). ‘Truskawka kaszubska’ is perceived as having more flavour (73 %) and being sweeter (68 %) than other strawberries. Some 64 % of those asked thought considered ‘truskawka kaszubska’ or ‘kaszëbskô malëna’ to be a product typical of Kashubia. Furthermore, the inhabitants of Pomerania and Kashubia consider strawberries to be the fruit which is by far the most typical of the region. Almost one third of Kashubians mention them spontaneously, and almost 80 % are aware of their uniqueness to the region.

Reference to publication of the specification:

http://www.minrol.gov.pl/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabOrgId=1620&LangId=0

(1) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.