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

(2019/C 428/12)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months of the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘ΦΑΣΌΛΙΑ ΚΑΤΤΑΒΙΆΣ ΡΌΔΟΥ’ (FASOLIA KATTAVIAS RODOU) /

‘ΛΌΠΙΑ ΚΑΤΤΑΒΙΆΣ ΡΌΔΟΥ’ (LOPIA KATTAVIAS RODOU)

EU No: PGI-GR-02422 — 12.6.2018

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Name(s)

‘Φασόλια Κατταβιάς Ρόδου’ (Fasolia Kattavias Rodou)/‘Λόπια Κατταβιάς Ρόδου’ (Lopia Kattavias Rodou)

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 product to which the name in (1) applies

The protected geographical indication ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ denotes the seeds of a dwarf variety of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), which has adapted perfectly to the soil and climatic conditions of Kattavia.

‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ have the following characteristics:

3.2.1. Morphological characteristics:

The seeds are white and slightly kidney-shaped, with a weight of 200 to 240 grams per 1 000 seeds (small size).

3.2.2. Chemical characteristics:

— Total carbohydrates: high content, at least 60 % of dry matter

— Maximum water content: 15 %

3.2.3. Organoleptic characteristics:

— Tasty bean flavour (mild, sweet taste)

The beans cook easily (short cooking time), when the beans are cooked the skin is barely perceptible

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

‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ must be produced within the geographical area defined in point 4.

Specifically, soil preparation, sowing, harvesting and the drying and cleaning of the seeds must take place within the defined geographical area. During sowing, only seeds from the dwarf variety of dry bean produced on the holding that have the morphological characteristics given in point 3.2.1 may be used. These seeds are collected when the previous crop is harvested, after threshing, and stored in sacks away from the light.

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

‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ PGI beans are produced in the Kattavia Municipal District in the Municipal Unit of Southern Rhodes, which is part of the Municipality of Rhodes in the Regional Unit of Rhodes in the South Aegean Region.

5. Link with the geographical area

The link between Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou with the defined geographical area derives from its specific characteristics and its reputation.

The land on which the dwarf variety of dry bean ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ are grown is located a maximum of one kilometre from the sea and the soil is clay-limestone. Before sowing, the land is ploughed twice in order to improve the moisture and nutrient retention capacity of the soil, so that the crop can withstand water stress (dry farming).

The defined geographical area has a temperate climate, typical of a Mediterranean island, with mild, relatively wet winters and dry summers. Average annual rainfall fluctuates from year to year with irregular distribution and is concentrated in autumn and (primarily) winter. Traditionally, the beans are dry farmed. Rainfall prior to sowing in January and February and after sowing (March and April), helps the soil to maintain the level of moisture needed to produce sufficient yields of ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ under conditions of water stress/dry farming.

Temperatures during the ripening and harvesting of ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ are mild because this particular dwarf variety of dry bean ripens earlier than other varieties (the ripening period is normally around the middle to the end of June). The early cropping of this particular dwarf variety also means that it can be dry farmed, as the high temperatures in July and August are avoided.

Harvesting is carried out in the early hours with the Ponente (wet, westerly wind) and morning moisture, since moisture is very important during the harvesting process, as it stops the pods opening and the seeds spilling out.

The defined geographical area has at least 300 days of sunshine a year, May and September being the sunniest months. Kattavia’s specific microclimate is ideal for growing this dwarf variety of dry bean since beans are thermophilic, sun-loving plants and struggle in wet soil.

The product’s historical link with the defined geographical area is clear from the crucial role that the beans have played in the economic and social life of residents of Kattavia for many years. The beans were, and still are, an essential part of their diet. A resident of the area who is still alive has attested to the fact that the beans have been grown in Kattavia since 1935 using dry farming techniques. Records saved in the Rhodes public library from the time of the Italian occupation show that pulses were the crop grown by the residents of Kattavia that covered the largest area of land and, because they ripened early, provided an opportunity for successful trading activity. Today, the local producers still grow ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ using traditional methods that have been handed down from generation to generation. Owing to the region’s unstable climatic conditions, particularly rainfall and temperatures, only those farmers with local experience are able to judge when the time is right for sowing, harvesting and drying.

The long-standing experience the producers have acquired with respect to traditional cultivation techniques, specifically:

— in selecting the seed (produced on the holding) to be used for the next crop to ensure that the product is pure and can be dry farmed, since this seed is excellently adapted to the area’s soil and climatic conditions,

— in preparing the soil (two ploughings) before sowing, to improve its moisture and nutrient retention capacity, in order to take better advantage of the rains to come,

— in harvesting at the right time, when the pods turn a yellow-brown colour, and

— in ensuring that the seeds are properly dried, so that the pods can be detached easily from the seeds,

directly affects the quality and characteristics of the product. It is precisely this experience the local producers have, together with the defined geographical area’s specific soil and climatic conditions, and the use of the dwarf variety of dry bean grown for over a century in this particular area of Kattavia, which enables ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ to be dry farmed and gives the final product its specific quality characteristics.

The specificity of ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ lies in their flavoursome taste (mild sweet taste) and the fact that they cook easily (short cooking time) as well as their reputation. These quality characteristics make the product particularly attractive to consumers and have given the product its reputation, as evidenced by numerous references on websites featuring traditional recipes and in local newspaper articles.

The final product derives its particular qualities from the combination of clay-limestone soils, dry farming, climatic conditions during the ripening period and the production techniques passed down from father to son for a century among local producers.

The product’s flavoursome taste (mild, sweet taste) is due to the high carbohydrate content of the dwarf variety of dry bean selected by local producers, which has adapted to the region and to dry farming. A high carbohydrate content gives the beans their mild, sweet taste. In addition, the variety’s genotype and environmental factors during plant growth and the ripening of the seed affect the seed’s quality characteristics.

Consumers say that ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ are easy to cook, due to their short cooking time. This quality characteristic is very important for consumers and is due to the beans’ high carbohydrate content. Scientific studies have shown that the high carbohydrate content reduces cooking time, since it helps the beans to absorb water during cooking, prevents them from sticking together and reduces the hardness of the seed. According to scientific publications, the high carbohydrate content of ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ can be attributed to the dry farming technique used in the defined geographical area and the specific genotype used for sowing. For this particular variety of ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’, which can withstand water stress, the dry farming technique essentially activates a mechanism that effectively transfers sucrose from the leaves of the bean plant to the pods, which boosts the high composition and concentration of carbohydrates in the beans. The ripening of the bean seed is affected by the soil conditions of the defined geographical area and the traditional growing techniques. Rainfall prior to sowing helps the clay-limestone soils in the area to maintain the required level of moisture. Temperatures during the ripening and harvesting of ‘Fasolia Kattavias Rodou/Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ are mild because this particular dwarf variety of dry bean ripens earlier than other varieties (the ripening period is normally around the middle to the end of June) therefore making dry farming possible since the high temperatures of July and August are avoided. In addition, the preparation of the soil (two ploughings) before sowing improves its moisture and nutrient retention capacity, in order to take better advantage of the rains to come. The selection of the seed (produced on the holding) by producers to be used for the next crop helps with the ripening of the seed since this dwarf variety is excellently adapted to the area’s soil and climatic conditions and to dry farming.

The product’s reputation is due to its specific organoleptic characteristics, namely the beans’ flavoursome taste (mild, sweet taste) and the fact that they cook easily (short cooking time), which can be attributed to the specific features of the geographical area in question. The reputation the beans have achieved is evidenced by numerous articles and feature pieces in local newspapers in Rhodes which mention their flavoursome taste, and by Kattavia’s‘Fasolada Festival’, attended by large numbers of visitors and local bodies, which has been held for some years as a result of the product’s reputation in the local community. Moreover, their reputation is evidenced by references in specialised press and cookery books. The local newspaper ‘H Rodiaki’ mentions the product’s reputation in an article entitled ‘And the winner is ... Lopia Kattavias’ (‘Σαρώνει το… λόπι Κατταβιάς’) of 12 March 2016 regarding a tourism fair organised by the South Aegean Region in Berlin and the success of ‘Lopia Kattavias Rodou’ beans at a meal following the event for members of the press. Another article entitled ‘Rhodes’ Lopi beans “conquer” supermarket shelves’ (‘Το λόπι της Ρόδου «κατακτά» τα ράφια των καταστημάτων’) published in the same local newspaper on 17 October 2017 also mentions the product’s reputation, stating: ‘The tasty Lopi beans from Kattavia, which have a high nutritional value, have won over consumers and made a strong entry on the pulse market’.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

http://www.minagric.gr/images/stories/docs/agrotis/POP-PGE/prodiagrafes_fasolia_katavias_rodou.pdf

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