EN Official Journal of the European Union C 190/7

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

(2008/C 190/06)

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.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘CASTAGNA DI VALLERANO’

EC No: IT/PDO/005/0474/03.03.2005

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1. Responsible department in the Member State:

Name: Ministero delle Politiche agricole alimentari 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: qpa3@politicheagricole.gov.it

2. Group:

Name: Associazione Castanicoltori Vallecimina Address: Via Torrione, 5 — I-01030 Vallerano (VT) Tel./Fax (39) 0761 75 19 49 E-mail: vallecimina@libero.it Composition: Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( )

3. Type of product:

Class 1.6 — Fruit, vegetables, cereals, whether or not processed

4. Specification:

(Summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

4.1. Name: ‘Castagna di Vallerano’

4.2. Description: The protected designation of origin ‘Castagna di Vallerano’ is reserved for nuts of the local ‘Castanea sativa Miller’ grown in the area referred to in point 4.3 and with the following characteristics:

local ‘Castanea sativa Miller’ ecotype,

large size (50-70 achenes/kg of fresh product),

medium size (71-95 achenes/kg of fresh product),

small size (96-120 achenes/kg of fresh product),

mainly ellipsoidal but sometimes round in shape, with a pointed apex, terminating with remnants of styles (torcia); quadrangular, generally flat hilum scar that does not extend to the sides of the fruit,

thin, easy-to-peel, reddish-brown pericarp, with between 25 and 30 raised, darker-coloured vertical striations,

suede-coloured episperm, which does not generally penetrate into the main grooves of the seed,

low percentage of septate fruit,

he seed has virtually no surface grooves and has a white, crunchy flesh with a pleasant, sweet taste, which remains firm after cooking.

Analysis: edible part: 84-88 %; peel: 12-16 %. Composition per 100 g of edible part: water: 51-60 %, proteins: 2,5-3,2 %, lipids: 1,40-1,60 %, total carbohydrates: 38-44 %, potassium: 400-440 mg.

4.3. Geographical area: The production area of ‘Castagna di Vallerano’ is represented only by the territory of the Municipality of Vallerano, in the province of Viterbo.

4.4. Proof of origin: Chestnut groves for nut production are entered in registers held and updated by the inspection body, thus providing an effective system to ensure traceability throughout the production process.

Applications to amend registrations must be submitted before 30 April each year.

4.5. Method of production: According to the product specification, the planting distances and the growing and pruning methods, both periodic and multiannual, will follow traditional practices in the area, although a density of between 50 and 100 plants per hectare must be guaranteed. Irrigation is allowed.

Harvesting will be carried out between 20 September and 10 November each year, either manually or with towed harvesting suction machines and self-propelled harvesting machines which do not damage the product.

The yield varies between 2 tonnes/ha and 6 tonnes/ha.

Preservation of the product is by cold bath treatment with no additives or by sterilisation through hot bath treatment followed by cold bath, again with no additives.

Cleaned chestnuts, still damp, are put in piles and after a short period spread on the ground and selected to eliminate moulded fruits. To have the chestnuts dry quickly, the fruits are often moved either manually or by means of wooden shovels during the first days or, as an alternative, they are placed in special containers from which they can be removed on a daily basis.

After being rinsed, chestnuts fall into a cooling cistern where they remain for about 15-30 minutes while being automatically skimmed to eliminate flawed fruits coming the surface and separated from the rest by an appropriate device.

Draining and drying are followed by the brushing, grading and sizing phase.

All production, grading, sizing, processing and preservation operations must be carried out in the production area. Packaging may also be carried out outside the production area indicated in point 4.3.

4.6. Link: The production area, covering the whole of the Municipality of Vallerano, is particularly suited to chestnut growing because of the characteristics of the soil, with deep, cool, well-drained substrata of volcanic tufa rich in organic substances, which makes it highly fertile; it is conducive to the presence of potassium in the nuts, as well as lipids and carbohydrates. The area's climate is also especially suited to chestnut production.

The area has a particularly consistent, continental climate, with hot summers and harsh, wet winters. The annual temperature range is fairly wide, while rainfall, although well distributed throughout the year, is limited.

Chestnut groves situated in areas of volcanic origin, at 400-500 m above sea level, produce high-quality chestnuts. Pedoclimatic factors and parallel human actions (grafting and, in general, cultivation techniques suited to the species) have over the centuries exercised a high selection pressure on ‘Castanea sativa Miller’ in the area of Vallerano, resulting in the selection of local ecotypes that are adapted to the pedoclimatic parameters of the area and are now well established. These exhibit the particular and valuable characteristics that go to make the typical product known as ‘Castagna di Vallerano’.

These particular environmental and climatic factors, together with the age-old, traditional practices of the local population have contributed, thanks to agricultural skills, constant research and traditional specialised techniques, with a particular emphasis on constant improvement, to creating a real chestnut culture, with all that that implies in economic, agricultural and gastronomic terms, as evidenced in agricultural and scientific literature.

The link between Vallerano and chestnuts is confirmed by the caves dug out of the tufa, with their cisterns and storage tanks for cold curing chestnuts (cellars), which are still used for preserving the product. Chestnut groves for fruit production have always existed in the area of Vallerano.

The trees have been there since time immemorial and certainly predate other crops, including tree crops, and a large part of the land on which chestnuts are grown has never been used for any other crop.

This has shaped certain characteristics of the trades carried out by the inhabitants of Vallerano and influenced the overall development of this particular social environment linked to chestnut production.

This influence can also be seen in the local architecture, with the constructions known locally as ‘radicci’ to be found in chestnut woods and the series of caves dug out of the base of the tufa crag on which this ancient town is built, equipped with ‘cisterns’ and ‘storage tanks’.

The caves in the tufa were used to cure and preserve chestnuts while the ‘radicci’ were for drying them. These constructions show that chestnuts are a well-rooted and continuous part of life in the area.

In ‘Vallerano e le Confraternite’, published in 1996, Mon. Manfredo Manfredi states that the main source of income of the local confraternities was the sale of chestnuts.

In the Italian magazine Rivista Geografica Italiana, issue No 87 (1980), it is stated that chestnuts were already being grown in 1500. In 1584, Prince Farnese authorised the export of chestnuts only to neighbouring states that could pay in cereals.

The minutes of the International Convention held in Spoleto in 1993 describe Vallerano as the most important centre in the Province of Viterbo for both the production and the marketing of chestnuts.

An environment suited to the production of a quality product has made Vallerano one of Italy's main centres for the production and marketing of chestnuts.

4.7. Inspection body:

Name: Camera di commercio industria artigianato e agricoltura di Viterbo Address: Via F.lli Rosselli, 4 — I-01100 Viterbo Tel. (39) 0761 2341 Fax (39) 0761 345755 E-mail: camera.commercio.viterbo@vt.legalmail.camcom.it

4.8. Labelling: The product is released for consumption in bags of a suitable material weighing 1, 3, 5, 10, 20 and 30 kg.

The bags must be sealed in such a way as to prevent the contents being removed without breaking the seal.

The seal comprises an irremovable label bearing the following wording:

It is forbidden to use with the ‘Castagna di Vallerano’ protected designation of origin any other description or wording, including adjectives such as ‘extra’, ‘fine’, ‘selezionata’ (selected), ‘superiore’ (superior) and similar descriptions.

The designation's logo is oval and shows Vallerano in profile in dark brown, white and blue in a chestnut, above which is shown the ‘Monti Cimini’ in profile in medium-brown.

Typeface and size of characters:

D.O.P.: Bauer Bodoni bold (14)

‘Castagna di Vallerano’: Amaze bold (27)

Colours to be used:

Brown

Profile of Vallerano: C0 M56 Y60 K47

Brown

Profile of the ‘Monti Cimini’: C0 M28 Y30 K23,5

Blue: C100 M60 Y0 K20

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