EN Official Journal of the European Union C 236/29

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

2009/C 236/12

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘AGLIO DI VOGHIERA’

EC No: IT-PDO-0005-0638-30.07.2007

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Name:

‘Aglio di Voghiera’

2. Member State or Third Country:

Italy

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1. Type of product (Annex II):

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

3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies:

The ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ protected designation of origin is for the ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ garlic ecotype. It is a plant with uniform luminescent white bulbs with very few pink striations. The skins enveloping the cloves are white in colour, sometimes with striations of a more or less intense pink colour. The bulbs are rounded, regular and compact in shape, slightly flattened at the point of attachment to the root system. The bulb is made up of a variable number of cloves, which are joined together in a compact manner, with characteristic curving on the outside, fitting snugly together. When released for consumption, ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ must present as follows: sound bulbs with no signs of rot, free of parasites, cleaned, compact, free of frost- or sun-damage, free of externally visible sprouts, free of abnormal external moisture, free of any foreign smell and/or taste. Only ‘Extra’ class garlic (minimum diameter 45 mm) or Class I garlic (minimum diameter 40 mm) may be recognised as ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ PDO. ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ is placed on the market in the following forms: FRESH/GREEN GARLIC with green stalk, firm at the collar, and the outer skin of the bulb still fresh, white- or ivory-coloured bulb, possibly with pink striations, whitish roots; SEMI-DRY GARLIC: stalk not completely dry, ranging from green in colour to whitish, less firm at the collar; outer skin of the bulb not completely dry, bulb white or ivory in colour, possibly with pink striations, whitish roots; DRY GARLIC: dry stalk, whitish in colour and delicate in consistency, outer skin of the bulb and the skin surrounding each clove completely dry, white-coloured bulb containing visible cloves, ivory-coloured roots.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only):

—

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only):

—

3.5. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area:

All production operations must be carried out within the production area, since the specific characteristics of ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ may be attributed both to the knowledge of the producers and to the typical climate conditions of the area and the types of soil present.

3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:

The fresh product must be placed on the market between the day it is picked and five days after, the semi-dry product between the sixth and 10th day after picking and the dry product after the 11th day. All the products are placed on the market in the following forms: braid (treccia) of from 5 to 18 bulbs weighing between 400 and 900 g, extra-large braid (treccia extra) of from 8 to 80 bulbs weighing between 1 and 5 kg, net containing a variable number of bulbs weighing between 100 and 500 grams, bags of a variable number of bulbs weighing between 1 and 5 kg, small braids (treccina) of from 3 to 5 bulbs weighing between 150 and 500 g, and individual bulbs weighing between 50 and 100 g. The packaging is made from net, wood, plastic, card, paper and natural plant materials. Containers used as packaging must be sealed so as to prevent the contents from being removed without breaking the packaging. Individual bulbs must have the stalk and roots completely removed. The packaging must be carried out carefully in such a way as to ensure that transportation and excessive handling do not cause heads to be broken or, above all, make the skin fragment, thus creating the risk of mould and deterioration of the product.

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling:

All packaging must bear, in legible, indelible writing on the same side, the information identifying the packer or shipper. The containers must also feature the name ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ and the words ‘denominazione di origine protetta’ (protected denomination of origin) or acronym DOP (PDO) in larger characters than any other wording featured on the packaging, and the Community logo. Individual items must bear a label with the name ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ and the letters ‘DOP’ (PDO) with the Community logo and the producer’s name. The circular logo is made up of a symbol representing a garlic clove inset into the curve of the letter V on a light blue background. The body of the garlic clove is yellow, with shading in a darker colour. Within the circle, the words ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ are written in black at an oblique angle. At the top, within the circle, the letters DOP (PDO) are shown in black. For publicity purposes only, a black and white version may be used; in this case, the circular logo is surrounded by a black line. When printed on a label, the logo must be reproduced at a scale of 1/3 with regard to the total size of the label.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area:

The ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ production area comprises the following municipalities in the Province of Ferrara: Voghiera, Masi Torello, Portomaggiore, Argenta and Ferrara.

5. Link with the geographical area:

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:

The area where ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ is cultivated is on the plain, in delta and multi-river basin conditions which offer an ideal climate for the growth of the product. The soil types are predominantly clay, clay-loam and silty-loam. The abundant fluvial sand deposits confer great underground water draining capacity, which favours the growth and development of garlic while safeguarding it from the risk of rot. The climate is characterised by low rainfall compared with other areas of the plain, with rain more frequent in spring than in the summer months. The hot, sunny summers the area enjoys favour harvesting operations and, in combinations with the humidity conditions typical of the Ferrara area, allows ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ to be dried in a slow and gradual fashion.

5.2. Specificity of the product:

The special characteristics of ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ are its luminescent white colour, the large, round and regular bulb made up of tightly compacted cloves and, most especially, its great keeping qualities. Its chemical composition is a perfect balance of volatile oils with sulphur compounds, enzymes, vitamin B, mineral salts and flavonoids. Another no less important characteristic is the specific genetic identity, demonstrated through DNA amplification techniques and the fruit of a natural selection process effected by applying selection methods handed down from generation to generation.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI):

The characteristics of ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ stem not only from human factors but also from its strong link with the environment. The typical characteristics of the product identified in Section 5.2 should be attributed to the land in which it is grown. The clay, clay-loam and silty-loam soils in which extensive fluvial sand deposits promote underground water drainage give rise to the keeping quality of the bulbs, their large growth, luminescent white colour and, in particular, their characteristic regular and compact shape. The reproduction of the cloves from seed by vegetative propagation using the best cloves from a bulb produces the perfect balance of enzymes, vitamins and mineral salts that give this garlic a specific genetic identity. As stated above, the other strong link that makes ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ special is that with the people of the area. They have always paid special attention to irrigation techniques during sowing and harvesting seasons and, with skills refined over the years and handed down from father to son, have hand-selected the best bulbs from previous harvests from which to draw the material to be sown, making sure that large and healthy specimens were selected, and have prepared and worked the bulbs with masterly craftsmanship, hand-making bunches, braids, smaller braids and individual bulbs and, lastly, have passed on such delicious recipes. Archaeological evidence, recent and past, of ancient Voghenza confirms the predominant role of this centre for the Po delta up to at least the seventh century. At the end of the high medieval period, the d’Este, the Dukes of Ferrara, gave the Voghiera territory a new lease of life. The domain of the d’Este family provided incentives for every possible crop on the land of this area, with particular focus on kitchen garden plants such as salad vegetables, herbs and aromatic plants and, above all, garlic. After the departure of the d’Estes in 1598, the experience gained in the agricultural field was not entirely lost since other illustrious owners noted the value of these fertile lands along the former Po river course which still today enable highly specialised crops such as garlic to be grown.

Reference to publication of the specification:

The government launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposal for recognising ‘Aglio di Voghiera’ as a protected designation of origin in Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 124 of 30 May 2007.

The full text of the product specification is available:

at the following site: http://www.politicheagricole.it/DocumentiPubblicazioni/Search_Documenti_Elenco.htm?txtTipoDocumento=Disciplinare%20in%20esame%20UE&txtDocArgomento=Prodotti%20di%20Qualit%E0>Prodotti%20Dop,%20Igp%20e%20Stg or