Publication of an application for registration pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin

(2004/C 58/06)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Articles 7 and 12d of the abovementioned Regulation. Any objection to this application must be submitted via the competent authority in a Member State, in a WTO member country or in a third country recognized in accordance with Article 12(3) within a time limit of six months from the date of this publication. The arguments for publication are set out below, in particular under 4.6, and are considered to justify the application within the meaning of Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92.

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2081/92

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION: ARTICLE 5

PDO (x) PGI ( )

National application No: 14/2001

1. Responsible department in Member State Name: Ministero delle Politiche agricole e forestali

Address: Via XX Settembre, 20 - I-00187 Roma

Tel. (39-06) 481 99 68

Fax (39-06) 42 01 31 26

E-mail: qualita@politicheagricole.it

2. Applicant group 2.1. Name: Associazione Produttori Olivicoli Messinesi - APOM

2.2. Address: Via Del Vespro, 6 is. 290, I-98122 Messina

2.3. Composition: producer/processor (x) other ( )

3. Type of product: Class 1.5 - Oils and fats - Extra virgin olive oil

4. Specifications (summary of requirements under Article 4(2))

4.1. Name: "Valdemone"

4.2. Description: extra virgin olive oil with the following characteristics:

- colour: from yellowish green to olive yellow,

- appearance: from clear to slightly hazy,

- smell: of freshly picked olives (varies in intensity), plus the ever present scent of wild flowers, grasses and leaves found in olive groves in the province of Messina,

- flavour: echoes the smell of freshly picked olives, with an added hint of bitterness, almonds, fresh fruit, tomatoes and cardoons,

- panel test score: >= 7,

- maximum acidity: 0,7 %,

- peroxide number: <= 12 mEq O2/kg.

4.3. Geographical area: The area in which olives intended for the production of Valdemone extra virgin olive oil are grown and pressed comprises the whole of the province of Messina (Sicily Region) with the exception of the municipalities of Floresta, Moio Alcantara and Malvagna.

4.4. Proof of origin: Valdemone refers to an administrative and financial territorial subdivision which existed in northeastern Sicily from the Middle Ages until 1812. Originally known as Vallis Nemorum because of the region's abundant woodlands, it extended from the Grande river on the Tyrrhenian coast to Taormina on the Ionian Sea. According to censuses conducted in the 16th century, it measured about 6500 km2 and had a population of 250000. From the foot of the mountains, its internal boundaries extended eastwards to the Alcantara Valley and westwards to the Pollina river.

Geographers, historians, economists and politicians from the past have referred to the Valdemone as well as to the Mazzara and Noto valleys.

Together with vines, almond and carob trees, the olive tree can be regarded as endemic to Sicily. After being brought to Sicily by the Phoenicians, it became more widespread in the fifth century BC during a period of Greek domination, in particular in less fertile land. The Ancient Greeks were also engaged in olive oil trade throughout the Mediterranean, using specially designed boats carrying terracotta amphoras, the latter being ideally suited to transporting the precious liquid. Later on, the Ancient Romans too helped to develop olive-growing and the trade in olive oil.

More recent evidence of the expansion and economic and social importance of olive-growing is provided by the fact that in 1507 there were no fewer than eight olive oil mills in the feudal municipality of Samperi alone. At the time, large feudal landlords allowed their subjects to keep either a small share of the olive oil produced or the entire second pressing, such was the interest in olive-growing. From 1853 the local chamber of commerce began to keep detailed records of olive-growing locally, the olive-growing area that year totalling 10891 hectares. By 1891 the figure had risen to 38565 hectares, producing an average of 138935 hl. Thanks in part to the presence nearby of a major commercial port, Messina, the increase in production boosted exports, in particular to the USA, Britain, Russia and the Netherlands. Nowadays the olive-growing area totals about 40000 hectares, of which 40 % is situated on hill land over 300 metres above sea level, 40 % on low-lying hills and the remaining 20 % in coastal areas. The total annual production of Valdemone olive oil is about 8000 quintals.

The growing and pressing of the olives and the bottling of the oil are carried out within the area concerned. In the case of bottling this is because of the need to preserve the characteristics and quality of Valdemone oil by ensuring that the independent inspection body can carry out its checks in the presence of the producers concerned. The protected designation of origin is of decisive importance to the latter and, in line with the objectives and spirit of the Regulation, provides them with an opportunity to increase their incomes. Moreover the operations concerned have traditionally been carried out in the geographical area concerned. In order to ensure the traceability of the product all those who are part of the production chain enter their respective olive groves, olive oil mills and bottling plants in registers kept by the inspection body and report annually the quantities of olives grown and the olive oil produced and bottled.

4.5. Method of production: Valdemone extra virgin olive oil is made from olives of the Santagatese, Ogliarola Messinese and Minuta varieties, a group which accounts for 70 % or more of all the olive trees in each grove. Mandanici, Nocellara Messinese, Ottobratica, Brandofino and Verdello varieties may account for up to 30 % of the olive trees present.

The olive trees are cultivated traditionally, i.e. they are trained in a ball, rounded vase or free form shape and are pruned at least once every two years.

The olives are picked - by hand or mechanically - direct from the tree from October to January each year. Neither products intended to encourage the olives to fall, nor harvesting methods that may damage the fruit or result in it entering into contact with the soil may be used. As soon as they are picked the olives are placed in small, well-aired and windowed plastic crates. Larger plastic crates may, however, be used for transport. The olives must be free from any imperfection (olive moth and fly damage) which might impair olive oil quality.

The olives are pressed within two days of being picked. Olive production is limited to 60 quintals per hectare in the case of traditional olive groves and 100 quintals per hectare in the case of olive trees grown on an intensive basis. The oil is extracted - at mills situated in the area only - after the leaves have been removed and the olives washed. During pressing the temperature may not exceed 28 to 30 oC. Traditional mills may include two to four stone presses.

These take 20 to 30 minutes to complete a pressing, compared with about one minute for a crusher. The length of the pressing depends on the ripeness of the olives. The ideal temperature for pressing is around 28 to 30 oC, the entire operation taking an average of 30 minutes. The maximum oil yield of the olives is 24 %.

4.6. Link: The varieties of olives from which Valdemone extra virgin olive oil is produced are characteristic of certain areas of the Valdemone, whose mountainous and hilly terrain - which reaches down into the sea - was shaped by the two biggest mountain ranges in Sicily, the Peloritani and the Nebrodi. Abundant water, fertile soils, in which brown soils and regosols predominate, followed by red soils, vertisols and alluvial soils, provide such a natural environment for the production of extra virgin olive oil as to give specific characteristics to Valdemone olive oil. The soil fabric is balanced, with a slight prevalence of clay and a subalkaline reaction. The climate too tends to add to the distinctiveness of Valdemone PDO in relation to all other Sicilian and Italian extra virgin olive oils. The climate varies according to the altitude: in coastal and low-lying hills the average annual temperature is around 18 °C, whereas in areas situated higher up it is around 15 °C. The climate in the area of production is typically Mediterranean: fairly dry in the summer but with plentiful rainfall in the autumn and winter. The olive varieties from which Valdemone is produced are very much characteristic of the hills in the Messina area. Man too has helped to perfect the organoleptic characteristics of Valdemone PDO. Indeed, in recent years improved production and growing techniques - in some cases organic - and the harvesting of the olives, which is done by hand or using tree-shaking machines and sheets spread out at the base of each tree, have paved the way for a qualitative leap in terms of the production of what is, thanks to organoleptic characteristics attributable to cultivars that are very closely linked to this hilly area and its regular weather conditions, a much sought-after product. The quality of Valdemone oil is essentially determined by the length of the ripening period of the olives, the rainfall and the orientation of the groves, the latter making it possible to produce a combination of high exposure to the sun and suitably cool winds, i.e. conditions that are typical of Sicily's northern coast.

Olives have since ancient times been the most widespread tree crop in the area. Olive-tree growing was brought to Sicily by the Phoenicians and expanded greatly under the Ancient Greeks. While the Ancient Romans fostered olive-growing and trade, there was also an upturn in production during the period of Arab domination. Not only does this on-going link with the island's history serve to confirm that the area concerned naturally lends itself to olive-growing, it also illustrates the traditional attachment of local growers to the crop, as witnessed also by their use of cultivation techniques designed to preserve the olive tree in the area.

Olive-growing is very widespread in the Valdemone area, in particular in the hilly area inland. It is of major importance economically and socially and in the context of both the landscape and the environment, owing to its ability to adapt to difficult areas in terms of soil and climate. These are areas where olive-growing is, together with vine-growing, the only tree crop available, in that it occupies steep marginal land that is difficult to work and constitutes a major component of the rural landscape.

The climate is favourably influenced by the proximity of the sea and the presence of the mountains and their rich woodlands and winter snows.

The combination of an environment that lends itself to olive-growing, and the tradition of olive-growing in the area have, over the years led to the development of a number of varieties named after the areas in which they are most widespread. More specifically, Santagatese, which is named after the municipality of Sant'Agata Militello, and is the most widespread variety in the area concerned, Ogliarola Messinese, which is most often found in coastal Messina municipalities, and Minuta, which tends to be cultivated in the vicinity of the Naso river, are evidence of the area's tradition of, and predisposition towards, olive-growing.

4.7. Inspection body Name: Suolo E Salute s.r.l.

Address: Via Abbazia, 17, I-61032 Fano (PU)

4.8. Labelling: Valdemone extra virgin olive oil must be put up for retail sale in containers or bottles of five litres or less.

The Valdemone PDO must appear in clear and indelible characters and must be easily distinguishable from any additional information on the label. The year of production must also be stated. No additional wording or reference to a geographical location may be used. Reference may be made to firms, names, business names or private brands, provided they do not imply any praise or mislead the consumer, and the size of the characters is not more than half that of the characters used for the PDO.

The name Valdemone must be accompanied by the graphic symbol associated with it, i.e. a rectangle divided in two with, between the two halves, an olive branch and a stylised amphitheatre. A fully detailed description of the logo and the colours used forms an integral part of the rules governing production.

4.9. National requirements: -

EC No: IT/00218/03.01.2002.

Date of receipt of the full application: 5 February 2004.