10.

In Section 5(h) of the product specification (Post-harvest handling) the following text: ‘Today this is still done and it contributes significantly to the high quality of the potatoes. After the potatoes have been cured, each producer declares his harvest to the cooperative and then, depending on the harvest records, sacks are distributed in order of precedence. After the initial sorting of the pile in the field, the potatoes are packed in sacks and the agronomist in the field performs an initial quality check. The batch deemed suitable will be taken to the packhouse where a second quality check will be performed and any defective tubers removed, so that the potatoes can be repacked in sacks as checked.’ has been amended to read: ‘Today this is still done and it contributes significantly to the high quality of the potatoes destined for use as seed potatoes, while for potatoes intended for consumption the practice is now optional. Alternatively, the local producers, after harvesting and an initial sorting, which must be carried out once the potatoes have been dug up, may transport the potatoes intended for consumption to the modern cold stores that are now part of the island’s packaging facilities but did not exist before, where the potatoes intended for consumption retain their specific quality characteristics for months before being transported to final consumers all over Greece. Curing under cover of straw is no longer mandatory for the potatoes intended for consumption because: (a) when, immediately after harvesting, the potatoes intended for consumption are transported in sacks or bins to suitable storage facilities and kept in the right conditions (temperature and humidity) they are less susceptible to infestation by the potato tuber moth, whose development is slowed down in today’s cold stores, as local agronomists have observed; and (b) if the potatoes intended for consumption are directly transported to cold stores after harvesting, they can be quality checked before being packed into batches, as the potato blight life cycle speeds up in the cold, and any affected tubers can be removed before sale. After the initial sorting in the field, the potatoes are put in sacks or bins and the agronomist in the field performs an initial quality check. Batches deemed suitable will be taken to the packhouse where a second quality check will be performed and any defective tubers removed, so that the potatoes can be repacked in sacks as checked.’ Accordingly, in point 3.4 (formerly point 3.5) of the single document the following text: ‘These steps must take place in the defined area because the local potato farmers have acquired the know-how to ensure an early harvest by capitalising on the local environmental conditions (timing of planting in relation to rainfall). In addition, after the potatoes are pulled up a specific step takes place whereby they are covered with straw so that the skin will thicken, making them more resistant to damage during transport, and superficial wounds can heal.’ has been amended to read: ‘These steps must take place in the defined area because the local potato farmers have acquired the know-how to ensure an early harvest by capitalising on the local environmental conditions (timing of planting in relation to rainfall). In addition, after the potatoes are pulled up a specific step takes place whereby they are covered with straw so that the skin will thicken, making them more resistant to damage during transport, and superficial wounds can heal. This step is mandatory for the potatoes destined for use as seed potatoes and optional for the potatoes intended for consumption.’ Accordingly, in point 5.1.C of the single document the following sentence: ‘Another specific feature of potato cultivation on Naxos is that the harvested potatoes destined for use as seed potatoes are cured under cover of straw.’ has been amended to read: ‘Another specific feature of potato cultivation on Naxos is that the harvested potatoes destined for use as seed potatoes are cured under cover of straw. For the potatoes intended for consumption, this step is retained on an optional basis.’ Accordingly, in point 5.3. of the single document entitled ‘Causal link between the geographical area and a specific quality, the reputation and other characteristic of the product’ the following text: ‘After the potatoes have been pulled up, the local potato farmers carry out an initial sorting in the field to discard foreign material and damaged tubers. The potatoes destined for use as seed potatoes are then arranged in piles in the field and covered with a layer of straw and then a layer of potato plants to protect them from the sun. The curing in the field improves the keeping qualities of the product: the skin hardens and thickens, which makes it more resistant to damage during transport, surface wounds can heal and the toxic glycoalkaloid content is reduced. The potatoes intended for consumption are transported immediately after harvesting to the “Patata Naxou” grading, storage, packaging and trading companies, where they are kept in suitable conditions (temperature and humidity).’ has been amended to read: ‘After the potatoes have been pulled up, the local potato farmers carry out an initial sorting in the field to discard foreign material and damaged tubers. The potatoes destined for use as seed potatoes are then arranged in piles in the field and covered with a layer of straw and then a layer of potato plants to protect them from the sun. For the potatoes intended for consumption, this step is retained on an optional basis. The curing in the field improves the keeping qualities of the product: the skin hardens and thickens, which makes it more resistant to damage during transport, surface wounds can heal and the toxic glycoalkaloid content is reduced. Alternatively, the potatoes intended for consumption may be transported immediately after harvesting to the “Patata Naxou” grading, storage, packaging and trading companies, where they are kept in suitable conditions (temperature and humidity).’ Accordingly, in Section 6.c.Ι of the product specification entitled ‘Link between the quality of the product and the geographical area’ the following text: ‘Another specific cultivation practice on Naxos, which contributes significantly to the high quality of the local potatoes destined for use as seed potatoes, is that the harvested tubers are cured under cover in the field. The skin hardens, which reduces the risk of secondary infestations and protects the potatoes from damage during transport (Attachment 23). This practice also reduces the risk of the glycoalkaloid content (toxins) increasing during further handling operations (Attachment 24).’ has been amended to read: ‘Another specific cultivation practice on Naxos, which contributes significantly to the high quality of the local potatoes destined for use as seed potatoes, is that the harvested tubers are cured under cover in the field. The skin hardens, which reduces the risk of secondary infestations and protects the potatoes from damage during transport (Attachment 23). This practice also reduces the risk of the glycoalkaloid content (toxins) increasing during further handling operations (Attachment 24). Curing under cover in the field is a mandatory post-harvest handling operation for potatoes destined for use as seed potatoes and an optional post-harvest handling operation for potatoes intended for consumption. Alternatively, the local producers, after harvesting and an initial sorting, which must be carried out once the potatoes have been dug up, may transport the potatoes intended for consumption to the modern cold stores that are now part of the island’s packaging facilities but did not exist before, where the potatoes intended for consumption retain their specific quality characteristics for months before being transported to final consumers all over Greece.’ The reason for these amendments is that when the application to have ‘Patata Naxou’ registered as a PGI was approved in March 2011, most of the potatoes produced were destined for use as seed potatoes, whereas for the last six years most of the ‘Patata Naxou’ production has been intended for consumption, and only a small percentage has been destined for use as seed potato. This is why curing under cover of straw no longer needs to be mandatory for the potatoes intended for consumption. The drop in demand for seed potatoes is mainly due to fierce competition in recent years from Cypriot seed potatoes, which are harvested earlier than on Naxos and consequently meet the needs of the different parts of Greece for early planting. Curing in the field under cover of straw is mandatory for potatoes destined for use as seed potatoes, as it has been up to now, because while it is under cover ‘Patata Naxou’ matures and the skin hardens and thickens, so that it is more resistant to damage during transport and surface wounds can heal. These characteristics are desirable, as seed potatoes are stored for a long time for use the following growing season and they are transported for long distances all over Greece. This practice also reduces the risk of the glycoalkaloid content (toxins) in the seed potatoes increasing during further handling operations. Curing under cover of straw is no longer mandatory for potatoes intended for consumption because: (a) when, immediately after harvesting, the potatoes intended for consumption are transported in sacks or bins to suitable storage facilities and kept in the right conditions (temperature and humidity) they are less susceptible to infestation by the potato tuber moth, whose development is slowed down in today’s cold stores, as local agronomists have observed; and (b) since the potatoes intended for consumption are directly transported to cold stores after harvesting, they can be quality checked before being packed into batches, as the potato blight life cycle speeds up in the cold, and any affected tubers can be removed before sale. Transporting the product to modern cold stores after harvesting and initial sorting in the field thus helps to improve the quality characteristics of ‘Patata Naxou’ (potatoes intended for consumption). The amendment that ‘after the potatoes have been cured each grower declares his harvest to the cooperative and then, depending on the harvest records, sacks are distributed in order of precedence’ has been deleted because of the amendments under Proof of origin. Lastly, the reason for adding bins as an alternative to sacks for transport and storage is that the potatoes suffer less damage and their quality is therefore less impaired, as they are less bumped about in the bins than in sacks and they breathe better during storage and keep longer as a result.