EN Official Journal of the European Union C 53/7

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

(2018/C 53/06)

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

‘ΑΓΚΙΝΆΡΑ ΙΡΊΩΝ’ (AGKINARA IRION)

EU No: PGI-GR-02293 — 24.2.2017

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name(s)

‘Αγκινάρα Ιρίων’ (Agkinara Irion)

2. Member State or Third Country

Greece

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 ‘Agkinara Irion’ denotes heads of the local variety of artichoke known as Prasini tou Argous or Argitiki, which belongs to the species Cynara scolymus L. in the Asteraceae family.

The characteristics of fresh ‘Agkinara Irion’ that distinguish it from other types of artichoke are:

— compact, cylindrical heads with a characteristic opening at the top;

— minimum head height of 10 cm and minimum horizontal diameter of 8 cm;

— external green bracts: green, fleshy at the base, with a rounded, forked tip that has either no thorn or sometimes a small thorn;

— internal bracts with graded coloration from light green to yellow and purple in the centre, diminishing into a light yellow fluff;

— a solid, cylindrical stem ≤ 40 cm in length and with a diameter of 1-4 cm;

— the heads are tender and the bases of the bracts and the disc-shaped receptacle are fleshy, tasty and especially sweet, and can be eaten raw.

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 defined geographical area

All the steps in the production of ‘Agkinara Irion’ must take place in the defined geographical area.

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

—

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

—

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The defined geographical area where ‘Agkinara Irion’ is produced is triangular in shape: one side borders the sea and the other two are defined by the ends of mountain ranges. It includes the local communes of Karnezaiika and Iria and the settlement of Kantia, which are administratively part of the Municipality of Nafplio.

It comprises two plains, the Iria plain and the Kandia plain, which cover an area of 1 000 ha and 250 ha respectively in the south-eastern part of the Regional Unit of Argolida and are separated by a low limestone saddle (Lycalona). The natural boundaries of the geographical area are the foothills of Mount Arachnaio to the north-north east, Mount Didymo to the south-southeast and the Argolic Gulf to the west.

The two plains have a south-west orientation and are crossed by the Karnezaiiko or Dipotamos stream and the Kandia stream respectively. The streams flow from east to west and then out to sea.

5. Link with the geographical area

Natural factors

The parent material and the specific microclimate of the defined geographical area make it possible to grow a high quality early crop.

The soil is fertile thanks to the deposits from the streams which flow through the plains. All the soils in which ‘Agkinara Irion’ is grown fall within the broad category of entisols (recently formed soil that has not yet differentiated into distinct horizons). It is mostly sandy clay loam or clay loam.

It is very fertile with a depth of 50 cm to 150 cm, which is good for the artichoke’s deep root system. It is young soil, medium textured, with good natural drainage provided by a layer of sandy gravel. It is well supplied with calcium and rich in magnesium. The abundance of magnesium helps preserve the structure of these coastal soils, as it competes with the sodium in the soil, making it possible to grow ‘Agkinara Irion’, even in the areas where the soil has a high salt content. The land is level with a gradient of 0-3 %.

The climate is Mediterranean, so warm and dry, with very mild winters.

The climatic conditions are enhanced by proximity to the Argolic Gulf, as this tends to moderate extreme temperatures. This results in lower maximum temperatures in summer and higher minimum temperatures in winter. The average annual temperature is 18,5 °C, with an average minimum of 10,2 °C and an average maximum of 28,2 °C. Frost in winter is rare, on account of the region’s geomorphology. The area under cultivation is protected by the surrounding mountains from cold, northerly winds in winter, although southerly winds usually prevail, i.e. sea breezes.

The region has a south-west orientation, with annual solar radiation of around 337,0 cal/cm2 and an average of over 2 500 hours of sunshine annually.

Total annual rainfall is around 400 mm and in summer and autumn there is often no rain at all.

These conditions are very favourable to early cropping and allow the plants to thrive and give maximum yields during the winter months.

Human factors

The human factor is of particular importance when producing early harvest crops. The producers have perfected cultivation methods that allow ‘Agkinara Irion’ to crop even earlier, such as the careful selection of parent plants used to establish the new crop, specific planting distances, the timing and use of irrigation and the thinning of offshoots.

Product specificity

The specificity of ‘Agkinara Irion’ consists in its reputation, which derives from the fact that it crops very early and has a distinctive sweet flavour.

The first harvest in mid-autumn gives it the advantage of being the only artichoke then available on the market. Moreover, the large quantities available and supplied to the market during the winter months make the product very widely known.

The mild climate and long hours of sunshine, due to the geographical location and south-west orientation of the plains, favour early cropping. The absence of rain during the summer months allows the start of the growing period to be controlled by irrigation and therefore production starts in the autumn. The mostly mild winters due to proximity to the sea and the absence of frost caused by cold winds, as the plains are protected by the low mountains that surround them, allow for ‘Agkinara Irion’ to thrive and for crops to give maximum yields during the winter months.

‘Agkinara Irion’ is also distinguished by its palatability and in particular its sweetness. These organoleptic characteristics are due to the formation and storage of carbohydrates, i.e. polysaccharides during differentiation and fruiting in early autumn, when the intensity of solar radiation is high.

The carbohydrate storage process is promoted by the south-west orientation of the plains, which means that the plants are exposed to a great deal of sunlight.

These characteristics are enhanced by human intervention, such as the rigorous selection of xerophytic plants to preserve the local variety from which ‘Agkinara Irion’ is produced.

The techniques used to achieve early cropping are the result of years of observation by the local producers and their great meticulousness, which have been handed down from one generation to the next, to produce a top quality product that appears on the market in early autumn and dominates it until the end of the winter, almost fully covering domestic consumption.

In summary, the geomorphology of the region, the local soil and climatic conditions and the preservation of traditional growing method are the factors that contribute to the early cropping, sweet flavour, palatability and the other quality characteristics of ‘Agkinara Irion’, making it well known and giving it added value.

The periodical Froutonea, Issue 169, dated February 2013, refers to the early cropping of ‘Agkinara Irion’, and describes the Prasini tou Argous or Argitiki variety: ‘…It is the most widespread variety in the Argolida region, and in other parts of the Peloponnese and in Crete. It is an early cropping variety with high yields. It produces flower heads from November (in Iria from the end of October)…’

The qualities of ‘Agkinara Irion’ are frequently cited in media articles.

Specifically, on 20 May 2002 the newspaper Ta Nea tis Argolidas reported that ‘…Christos Olympios from the Agricultural University of Athens referred to their therapeutic and medicinal properties, and pointed out that the edible part of the flower head of the “Agkinara Irion” is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamin C, salts and cellulose…’.

Another reference was made in the newspaper Politistika [Culture] of Argolida, on 17 March 2010, ‘…During the event professional chefs from Turkey, Cyprus, representing bodies who are members of the network “Le Conservatoire international des cuisines méditerranéennes” [International Conservatory of Mediterranean Cuisines], and of course from Greece, will demonstrate with their own skill and experience the gastronomic delights of an outstanding and delicious product such as “Agkinara Irion” …’

The product’s reputation is closely linked to economic, social and cultural life in the Iria area.

This reputation is evidenced by the well-established, annual festivals, workshops, numerous events and gatherings, gastronomic competitions, the references in the printed and online press, on radio and television, in books, periodicals and cookery programmes, in specialised farming periodicals and local restaurant menus.

Greece’s first seminar on growing ‘Agkinara Irion’ and its prospects was held in Iria in May 2002 and attended by eminent Italian and Greek scientists.

In November 2007 a delegation from ‘La Città del Carciofo’ [The City of the Artichoke], an international association set up to promote the artichoke business, visited Iria from Ladispoli in Italy. The purpose of the visit was to set up a platform for exchanging information on the product and to create ties of friendship between artichoke-producing countries, while also promoting tourism.

In May 2010 Iria hosted the first Artichoke Culinary Festival, where chefs from the eastern Mediterranean (members of the ‘Conservatoire international des cuisines méditerranéennes’ network) prepared dishes using ‘Agkinara Irion’, deploying their skill and experience to showcase the specificity and flavour of the local product.

The product’s reputation is emphasised by the press and the online press, and it often features in large-circulation cookery magazines and cookery shows on major television channels. The well-known chef Ilias Mamalakis writes in a recipe in the online press ‘… “Agkinara Irion”, the artichokes from Iria are justly renowned. Look out for them at your local market. They are utterly delicious’. There are regular reports in farming and trade magazines on its market share, movements in prices and new prospects.

‘Agkinara Irion’ is widely used in local, traditional dishes, as evidenced by the many recipes included in Niki Tsekoura’s book ‘Agkinara, o thisavros tis gis ton Irion’ [The artichoke, the treasure of the earth of Iria] (published in 2013). Many artichoke dishes are offered to visitors in local restaurants, which contributes to the distinctiveness of the local tourist product.

The importance of ‘Agkinara Irion’ for the area is reflected in the emblem of the Kandia – Iria Tourism Association, which is an artichoke, while the official stamp of the Iria Agricultural Cooperative depicts a stylised artichoke head that strongly resembles the artichokes they grow.

Popular wisdom praises the flavour and sweetness of this local product with the saying ‘Agkinara apo to Iri pou travaei to potiri’ [Artichokes from Iria that call for a drink], and a painting by the well-known artist Diana Antonakatou from 2000 depicts the industrious locals hard at work, and points out that ‘…they abandoned tomatoes for the most delicious artichokes in the entire Prefecture…’

Historical factors

There were already references to the product’s reputation and high commercial value as far back as the second half of the 19th century: it was referred to as an export product that was grown in the Argolida region and exported to Constantinople, Egypt and Smyrna, ranking it among other profitable, prized resources (‘Taxidia ana tin Ellada’, [Travels around Greece] G. P. Paraskevopoulos, 1869).

Systematic artichoke growing in the Iria and Kandia areas began after the Second World War, in 1946-1947.

The commune of Iria has official evidence that in 1969 artichokes were being grown on 800 ha, i.e. two-thirds of the two plains.

In the years that followed the growers perfected their specialised knowledge of artichoke growing, while the local economy and community developed around artichoke production.

The close link between Iria and the artichoke was consolidated in the 20 years from 1980 to 2000, when the Iria area suffered a prolonged period of drought and its soil and water resources were severely affected. Artichokes were resistant to salts and could adapt very well to the specific prevailing conditions, providing the local people with a good income, when it was almost impossible to grow any other type of fruit or vegetable.

Today, ‘Agkinara Irion’ meets most of the domestic market’s demand, thus strengthening its reputation.

Publication reference of the specification

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

http://www.minagric.gr/images/stories/docs/agrotis/POP-PGE/prod-agkinara-irion-pge.pdf

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