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

(2020/C 200/07)

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

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘ΡΟΔΙ ΕΡΜΙΟΝΗΣ’ (RODI ERMIONIS)

EU No: PDO-GR-02389 – 12.1.2018

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1. Name(s)

‘Ρόδι Ερμιόνης’ (Rodi Ermionis)

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 the product to which the name in 1 applies

‘Rodi Ermionis’ is the fruit of the ‘Ermioni’ pomegranate tree, a local variety of the Punica granatum L. species belonging to the Punicaceae family, which is grown in the Ermionida area, hence the name. It is a local ecotype which over time and as a result of natural selection has adapted to the local climatic conditions and the growing methods used by the local producers. These plants also provide the propagation material for new planting in the area.

When placed on the market, the ripe fruit has the following characteristics:

1. Morphological characteristics: — Shape: round. On the outside is the skin, which is thin, leathery, supple and shiny. Inside are the seeds, which contain a semi-woody soft kernel of medium size, which crushes easily when chewed. — Colour: the skin is yellowish-pink to red, depending on surface exposure to the sun. The seeds are pink to red.

2. Organoleptic characteristics: The fruit has a sweet taste due to the balanced sugar-to-acid ratio. The seeds are sweet and soft and the kernel inside crushes easily when chewed.

3. Physico-chemical characteristics: — Degrees Brix: minimum 15° — Acidity (% citric acid): maximum 0,4

The product is marketed as fresh fruit and as packaged, ready-to-eat pomegranate seeds.

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

All steps in production must take place in the defined geographical area.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product to which the registered name refers

—

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product to which the registered name refers

—

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Rodi Ermionis’ is produced in the Municipality of Ermionida, which is in the Regional Unit of Argolida in the Peloponnese Region. The Municipality of Ermionida is situated in the eastern part of the Argolis Prefecture and comprises the Municipal Units of Kranidi, Ermioni and Portocheli and the local communities of Koilada, Didyma, Fournoi, Thermisia and Iliokastro. It borders the Argolic Gulf to the west and the Myrtoan Sea to the south.

5. Link with the geographical area

The defined area is a peninsula where the land is fairly level. The local microclimate is influenced by Mount Didymo, which forms the area’s northern border and is 1 121 metres high (the second highest mountain in Argolida), the Aderes mountains, which run along the eastern-northeastern edge, and the sea which borders the Municipality of Ermionida to the south and west.

The specific features of Ermionida’s climate during the year are:

— the absence of extreme temperatures, with virtually no frost in winter and mild, long, hot summers

— the small difference between day-time and night-time temperatures

— long periods of full sunshine

— minimal rainfall and low relative humidity in spring and autumn (September - October)

‘Rodi Ermionis’ is typical and unique, and directly linked with the area where it is grown, as specific climatic factors in conjunction with the growing methods determine the characteristics of the final product.

‘Rodi Ermionis’ has been grown in Ermioni for decades. This is why it is called ‘Ermioni’ (the name of the local community and of the former municipality), the area where it was developed and successfully adapted.

‘Rodi Ermionis’ is a local ecotype which, because it has adapted well to the area, is referred to as the ‘Ermioni variety’ on the internet, in magazines and other media. It is a local variety that has developed over time, with the growers continually selecting the plants with the desired characteristics and then propagating them vegetatively within the area. A specific feature of the local variety is the soft kernel. A study carried out by the Department of Deciduous Fruit Trees in Naousa, which looked at a number of important pomegranate genotypes that were collected from various parts of Greece and are recommended for cultivation, including ‘Rodi Ermionis’, mentions among other things that ‘Rodi Ermionis’ has a soft kernel, unlike the others, which have a hard or semi-hard kernel.

The sweet taste and supple skin are also distinctive characteristics of ‘Rodi Ermionis’ that are determined by natural factors and the growing methods used.

Specifically, regarding the sweet taste, shaping the plants into trees, which is feasible because there is no frost, ensures that the plant has a bigger leaf area and greater photosynthetic activity. It also ensures that the trees are well aired and the fruit is more exposed to the sun. These conditions favour the production of sugars and breakdown of acids and thus a more balanced sweetness. The sugar content (soluble solids) must be at least 15 ° Brix and the acidity less than 0,4 (expressed as % citric acid).

The Brix value and the acidity of samples of ‘Rodi Ermionis’ and other pomegranates were measured at the Department of Deciduous Fruit Trees in Naousa. ‘Rodi Ermionis’ had the sweetest juice, as it combines a high Brix value with low acidity.

Regarding the supple skin, although it can be prone to splitting, this does not occur in the defined geographical area, owing to natural factors and the specific cultivation method. The producers’ long-standing experience in growing ‘Rodi Ermionis’ has led them to develop a specific irrigation technique, which after years of growing and observing the plants has been seen to improve fruit set and help prevent fruit splitting. During the period when the trees blossom and the fruit sets (May), they stop irrigating and thereby ensure more successful pollination, better fruit set and stabilisation of the new fruit. The fruit’s supple skin, thanks to the hot dry conditions in the defined area and the cultivation method, does not split easily. Specifically, in summer and early autumn when harvest time is approaching, the crop is irrigated to ensure there is sufficient moisture in the soil. This helps to keep the skin supple and more effectively prevent splitting, as a supple skin ensures a more even and uniform growth of the external tissue, which protects the fruit from sudden changes that lead to splitting. This is also helped by the small difference between day-time and night-time temperatures throughout the year and the low rainfall in the defined area during the period when the fruit is ripening in the autumn.

The fruit is harvested very carefully and always manually, either using special secateurs or by hand, because ‘Rodi Ermionis’ has a soft, fine skin that is easily bruised. This reduces the risk of damage and post-harvest infestation and ensures fruit of a higher quality.

The environmental conditions in Ermionida have given ‘Rodi Ermionis’ its specific characteristics, which distinguish it from other pomegranates and have enabled it to acquire an outstanding reputation on the market as a product that meets specific consumer needs and preferences. Since 2011 the Municipality of Ermionida, in collaboration with the pomegranate growers and local bodies, has organised the Ermioni Pomegranate Festival, which includes events such as decorating the town and distributing the product at the harbour and in shops in Ermioni, preparing many different pomegranate-based specialities (food, sweets, liqueur) and offering them to the public, as well as cultural and scientific events.

Publication reference of the specification

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

http://www.minagric.gr/images/stories/docs/agrotis/POP-PGE/2020/prodiagrafes_rodi_ermioni290120.pdf

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