EN Official Journal of the European Union C 135/25

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

2010/C 135/11

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 of the date of this publication.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘LIMONE DI SIRACUSA’

EC No: IT-PGI-0005-0502-11.10.2005

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

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

1. Responsible department in Member State:

Name: Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali Address: Via XX Settembre 20 00187 Roma RM ITALIA Tel. +39 0646455104 Fax +39 0646655306 E-mail: saco7@politicheagricole.gov.it

2. Group:

Name: Consorzio del Limone di Siracusa Address: c/o SOAT 30 — viale Teracati 39 96100 Siracusa SR ITALIA Tel. +39 093138234 Fax +39 093138234 E-mail: — Composition: Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( )

3. Type of product:

Class 1.6.: Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

4. Specification:

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

4.1. Name:

‘Limone di Siracusa’

4.2. Description:

The protected geographical indication ‘Limone di Siracusa’ may be used exclusively for the cultivar ‘Femminello’ and its clones, corresponding to the botanical species Citrus limon (L) Burm, grown at specialist locations on the territory of the province of Syracuse, as defined in point 4.3.

The characteristics of the types of fruit depending on the time of harvest are the following:

‘Primofiore’: fruit picked from 1 October to 14 April displaying the following characteristics:

Colour of peel: light green to lemon yellow

Shape: elliptical

Size: medium to large

Weight of fruit: no less than 100 g

Pulp: light green to lemon yellow colour

Juice: lemon yellow colour

Minimum clear juice content: > 34 % of weight

Brix level of pulp: > 7 °

Acidity: > 6 %

‘Bianchetto’ or ‘Maiolino’ (or spring lemon): fruit picked from 15 April to 30 June displaying the following characteristics:

Colour of peel: light yellow

Shape: elliptical or ovoid

Size: large

Weight of fruit: no less than 100 g

Pulp: yellow colour

Juice: lemon yellow colour

Minimum clear juice content: > 30 % of weight

Brix level of pulp: > 6,5 °

Acidity: > 5,5 %

‘Verdello’ (or summer lemon): fruit picked from 1 July to 30 September displaying the following characteristics:

Colour of peel: light green

Shape: elliptical-round

Size: medium-large

Weight of fruit: no less than 100 g

Pulp: lemon yellow colour

Juice: lemon yellow colour

Minimum clear juice content: > 25 % of weight

Brix level of pulp: > 6 °

Acidity: > 5,5 %

Fruit eligible for the ‘Limone di Siracusa’ protected geographical indication must be marketed as fresh fruit in the categories Extra and Prime. The eligible sizes are: 3, 4 and 5.

4.3. Geographical area:

The geographical growing zone for PGI ‘Limone di Siracusa’ covers the following municipalities: Augusta, Melilli, Syracuse, Avola, Noto, Rosolini, Floridia, Solarino, Sortino and Priolo Gargallo.

This geographical area does not stretch beyond 10 km from the shores of the Ionian Sea and its altitude is no higher than 210 m above sea level: it is bounded in the North by the south-facing valleys of the Porcaria stream and in the South by the south-facing valleys of the Tellaro river.

4.4. Proof of origin:

Every stage in the production process must be monitored and a record made of the inputs and outputs at each stage. The traceability of the product is ensured in this way, as well as by entering the land registry plots on which the product is grown and the names of producers and packers in registers managed by the inspection body, and by declaring the quantities produced to the inspection body in a timely manner. All natural and legal persons whose names appear in the registers will be subject to checks by the inspection body in accordance with the terms of the specification and the corresponding inspection plan.

4.5. Method of production:

Planting distances and growing and pruning methods must maintain perfect plant equilibrium and development in addition to providing normal aeration and sunlight exposure. Maximum planting density is 400 plants per hectare. For high-density dynamic planting, the maximum density allowed is 850 plants per hectare.

The following rootstocks are used: ‘Arancio amaro’, ‘Poncirus trifoliata’, ‘Citrange Troyer’, ‘Citrange Carrizo’ and ‘Citrus macrophylla’, which are highly genetically stable.

The fruit has to be harvested from the tree by hand.

The fruit must be removed from the tree with the aid of harvesting scissors to cut the stem. The fruit is harvested straight from the tree using traditional methods when it has reached the level of maturity that ensures good organoleptic and aesthetic qualities.

Maximum lemon production is 29 tonnes per hectare for the entire marketing year, including the fruit from all flowerings.

4.6. Link:

The ‘Limone di Siracusa’ is characterised by its early ripening, high juice content, its medium to large size and an all-year harvesting period. These particularities are attributable to the soil and climate conditions of the area and the qualities of the cultivar grown in the production area. The ‘Limone di Siracusa’ is grown along the Sicilian coast and in some limited areas inland around the valleys and rivers that characterise the province of Syracuse. Analysis of average temperatures taken on the coastal plain of Syracuse reveals that the climate in the area is mild from October to March and arid from April to September. Throughout the area, the land is extremely fertile, more or less deep and rich in nutrients and organic matter.

Water is the decisive factor for growing lemons. In the ‘Limone di Sicilia’ production area water resources are guaranteed by the great subterranean river basin of the Hyblaen tableland, which constitutes the largest natural water reserve in the whole of Sicily, as well as by surface watercourses. The availability of water, in combination with atmospheric humidity, plays a decisive role in determining the quality of ‘Limone di Siracusa’ fruit, indeed the lack of water stress and an averagely humid atmosphere make it possible to produce juicier fruit that are more regular in shape, with finer peel, and which can be harvested over 12 months of the year.

Sicily boasts a citrus growing tradition and the respect for ancient practices in cultivating these plants, handed down from generation to generation, is still alive in the Syracuse region, giving rise to a veritable school of specialists in cultivating the ‘Limone di Siracusa’.

4.7. Inspection body:

The inspection body fulfils the requirements applicable under standard EN 45011.

Name: Det Norske Veritas Italia Address: Viale A. De Gasperi 187 95127 Catania CT ITALIA Tel. +39 095370020 Fax +39 095372871 E-mail: —

4.8. Labelling:

For packaged fruit, it is obligatory to indicate in legible and visible print on at least one side of the packaging, either indelibly printed directly on the package or on a label which is an integral part of or firmly affixed to the package: variety, origin, category, size and batch.

For fruit sold unpacked, all of them must bear stickers.

Packing material may be: cardboard, wood or plastic. Recyclable, leased plastic packaging can be used. Authorised packaging comprises: nets and bags with a plastic band attached to the net. All wrapping and packaging must bear the ‘Limone di Siracusa’ logo.

The logo consists of a horizontal oval containing a black and white image of the Greek Amphitheatre in Syracuse in the cavea of which, to the right, are two lemons. One of these lemons is whole, with a leaf, in the background, while the other is shown in cross-section and partly covers the first lemon. The lemon with a leaf has a stem, and the leaf is quadrichrome green in colour. The leaf is turned towards the centre of the logo and partly covers the lemon to which it is attached by the stem.

Inside the oval, at the top, is the wording ‘Limone di Siracusa’.

It is forbidden to add any qualification or description other than that expressly stipulated, including adjectives such as ‘fine (fine), superiore (superior), selezionato (selected), scelto (choice)’, etc. The use of laudatory terms is forbidden.

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