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

(2022/C 281/08)

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

‘Κατσικάκι Λήμνου / Katsikaki Limnou’

EU No: PGI-GR-02792 – 27.7.2021

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Name(s) of PGI

‘Κατσικάκι Λήμνου / Katsikaki Limnou’

2. Member State or Third Country

Greece

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.1. Fresh meat (and offal)

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

‘Katsikaki Limnou’ is the meat of kids slaughtered at the age of 60 to 90 days, weighing over 8 kg. The meat with the designation ’‘Katsikaki Limnou’ comes from carcasses of animals born on the islands of Limnos and Agios Efstratios (Regional Unit of Limnos). They are born from goats traditionally reared and adapted to these islands, which are fed on the vegetation of the clearly defined (island) geographical area.

‘Katsikaki Limnou’ meat is typically tender and succulent, with an agreeable aroma and taste. The colour of the meat is mainly red to slightly pale pink, with the tissues a rosy-red colour and the fat pure white.

The organoleptic characteristics also include the presence of subcutaneous fat and developed muscle mass. The layer of fat is generous, a characteristic that makes the product tender and flavoursome.

The chemical composition of the edible tissues of ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ meat is given in the following table.

Product Protein Fat ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ 18,4 % to 26,4 % 4,1 % to 11,1 %

The meat of ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ is sold fresh in the following forms:

— whole

— half-carcass

— as cuts by weight.

The chemical composition of the edible tissues of ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ meat differs from that of kids from other parts of Greece, which have an average fat value of 1,2 % compared with 6,9 % in the case of ‘Katsikaki Limnou’.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The kids are born between the end of November and end of February. They suckle for a period of 45 to 60 days. At the end of this period, the kids become accustomed to consuming coarse fodder using adaptation feeds consisting of coarse foodstuffs, such as hay from cereals and legumes, produced locally. After weaning, there is usually a period of 1 to 2 months in spring, when the kids graze with the adult goats.

The goats reared on Limnos and Agios Efstratios are from local populations resulting from natural crossings of the breed Capra prisca, which is indigenous to Greece. The goats are small and adapted to the microclimate and environment of the islands of Limnos and Agios Efstratios.

The goats’ diet is largely based on free grazing in the pastures of the specific geographical area. The diet also includes supplementary mixes containing, usually, products derived from cereals, legumes, cereal straw (mainly durum wheat), clover, oilseeds products, mainly produced in the demarcated geographical area, vitamins and trace elements.

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

The designation ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ can be used solely and exclusively for kids born, reared and slaughtered within the demarcated area. This includes bleeding, skinning and gutting. The goats from which the kids are born have also been born and reared in the demarcated geographical area.

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

—

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

In addition to the labelling requirements laid down in national and EU legislation, regardless of how the product is presented for sale (whole, half-carcass or in cuts), the following special logo is attached to the meat of ‘Katsikaki Limnou’:

The above logo must be accompanied by a code number identifying the animal and the holding from which the carcass originated, as well as the date of slaughter. The code number is formed of:

— the numerical code corresponding to the holding on which the animals were produced

— the identity code of the live animal corresponding to the carcass

— the date of slaughter.

For example, a carcass from a holding with code number EL8330**** and live animal number 002, slaughtered on 01/12/2020, would be given the unique code 8330****002-01/12/2020.

If the meat of ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ is cut and packaged, the label referred to above is transferred either to the individual cuts of meat or to the external casing, if the product has already been packaged, so that the relevant information is conveyed to the final consumer.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area in which ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ is produced is defined by the geographical limits of the islands of Limnos and Agios Efstratios.

5. Link with the geographical area

The product’s link with the demarcated area is based on the quality characteristics of the meat. The meat of ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ is a renowned product. It has agreeable organoleptic characteristics resulting from the traditional methods of farming kids and goats, as well as their diet which is based primarily on the rich vegetation of the pastures in the demarcated geographical area.

Specificity of the geographical area

The islands of Limnos and Agios Efstratios belong to the island group of the north-east Aegean. Limnos consists largely of level treeless expanses and plains. The fields of wheat and cereals, vineyards, scrublands and broad pastures, which account for more than half of the island, are some of the main features of the landscape. The island of Agios Efstratios (or ‘Ai Stratis’) presents a similar picture.

The two islands are inextricably linked, both socially and culturally, as well as economically and through trade. Numerous products have been traded and transported between the two islands over the years. This uninterrupted movement of livestock also included goats, which contributed to their homogeneous development on the two islands. The island of Agios Efstratios has a regular coastal shipping link with Limnos only.

Natural factors

As in the rest of Greece, the climate in the area is typically Mediterranean. The winters are mild and wet. The summers are relatively hot and dry, and there are generally long periods of sunshine for most of the year. Nevertheless, the climate in the area is drier, with occasional strong winds and infrequent rainfall.

As Aegean islands, Limnos and Agios Efstratios provided a significant route for the gradual migration of local plant species to Greece from the east, owing to the proximity of plants originating in Asia Minor.

The goats of the two islands feed largely on the rich herbaceous vegetation with its varieties of aromatic plants and scrub. Studies have shown that the natural vegetation of Limnos consists of 756 plant species, mostly therophytes (55 %). Among them are eight species endemic to Greece, one endemic to the north-eastern Aegean, and one endemic to Limnos. Furthermore, despite its small size, the island of Agios Efstratios has 438 different plant species.

In general, phrygana (scrubland) is widespread on the islands of Limnos and Agios Efstratios. Indeed, 25 % of the pastures in the area are scrublands. The following are typical species of phrygana: kermes oak, thorny burnet, thyme, oregano, spiny broom, vervain, sage, lavender-leaved anthyllis, spurge, St John’s wort, pink rock rose, rock rose, sage-leaved rock rose and hyssop. The following plants are also present in the area: Mediterranean spurge, sticky fleabane and Greek horehound.

In the ‘maquis’, the woody vegetation of the two islands also includes the following species: Judas tree, spiny broom, esparto, lentisc, green olive tree, wild olive, rosemary, wild asparagus, butcher’s broom and others.

The area also has dunes with vegetation formed of sclerophyllous scrub.

In addition, the vegetation of the two islands often includes natural grasses and legumes belonging to grass and legume species, which are the ideal species for goats to graze on.

Livestock

Since ancient times, rearing small ruminants, together with farming and fishing, has been the main occupation of the inhabitants of the geographical area of Limnos-Agios Efstratios. Indeed the traditional method of farming is a way of preserving the area’s ecosystem and biodiversity and, at the same time, an integral part of the local cultural heritage.

In general, the diet of the goats and kids contributes to producing meat with a characteristic fatty acid profile. The fat composition of the meat is linked to the abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in the plants, which is considered desirable as it has been associated with a particular flavour of the meat produced. Furthermore, the free grazing of the animals also increases the concentration of other desirable micronutrients in the meat, such as vitamins and natural antioxidants.

Human factors

The traditional method of farming the animals is based on the typical walled paddocks – ‘mantres’ – in which the animals are housed close to the pastures. The farming method was particularly important in the development of the flavours of ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ meat because its quality is inextricably linked to the use and knowledge of the pastures.

The traditional practices of livestock farmers affect the characteristics of the ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ product. Specifically, the late weaning, at about 60 days, contributes to the development of healthy kids with generous deposits of fat on their bodies. In addition, the herds are managed using the traditional farming methods involving mantres. This ensures that, in order to find food, the goats and kids do not need to cover great distances as the pastures are close to the mantres, and as the distances on the islands are small. There is therefore little strain on the animals, enabling them to store considerably more intramuscular fat than other, similar animals, and to develop muscle mass.

As far as possible, until they are slaughtered, weaned kids, along with adult animals, have continuous access to the pastures. Adult animals and kids all graze throughout the year and, thanks to the semi-extensive farming method, have direct access to pastures with a rich variety of aromatic edible plants and herbs. This produces aromatic components in the fatty tissue, and contributes to the agreeable organoleptic characteristics of the product. Such characteristics include the taste, in combination with the tenderness of the meat, which is due to the amount of intramuscular fat.

The semi-extensive farming method, based on making the most of the area’s natural ecosystem through grazing, has been developed over time as a result of the specific conditions of the surroundings. In fact, it is a way of preserving the area’s ecosystem and biodiversity and, at the same time, an integral part of the local cultural heritage.

The art of goat farming has passed from generation to generation, with livestock practices and experience being handed down to younger farmers. They continue to this day to produce ‘Katsikaki Limnou’, which is renowned for its agreeable quality. For centuries, herds have been managed by experienced ‘kehagiades’, as livestock farmers are known locally, using the traditional paddock farming system. This has established a viable and sustainable model of semi-extensive goat farming.

Specificity of the product

The meat of ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ is a particularly flavoursome product. It is tender, succulent and soft with agreeable organoleptic qualities. The total fat content of its edible tissues is higher in comparison with similar products. This has a positive effect on the flavour and tenderness of the product.

Due to the age selected for slaughter, the carcasses are relatively heavy, with a carcass weight of over 8 kg. The fat in the carcasses is mostly intramuscular.

Causal link between the geographical area and the specific character of the product

‘Katsikaki Limnou’ is meat with agreeable organoleptic characteristics. It is a very widespread product which has been produced continuously for many years on the two islands. The specific environmental factors, and the human practices that have long prevailed, in the demarcated geographical area of the islands of Limnos and Agios Efstratios have led to the development of a quality product with agreeable characteristics, which distinguish ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ from other similar products.

The rearing of small ruminants is the basis of livestock activity on the two islands. Limnos has large pasture areas, accounting for 35,74 % of the total area. Scrubland accounts for around 25 % of the island’s pastures. The vegetation in these areas is low, widely spaced and scattered. Thorny burnet predominates, along with thyme and a great number of aromatic plants.

The pastures of Limnos and Agios Efstratios have significant grazing capacity and benefit from the presence of a variety of aromatic plants. This results in meat products in which the fat has acquired organoleptic characteristics defined by the variety of aromatic and other plants in the pastures. The quality and organoleptic characteristics of the product are therefore determined by the extensive access of the animals to pastures.

The gentle terrain of the demarcated area, with its low-lying plains, allows easy access to pastures close to the traditional housing facilities. There is therefore little strain on the animals, allowing them to store considerably more fat than other similar animals and to develop muscle mass.

Specifically, the goats that graze on the islands of Limnos and Agios Efstratios consume a rich variety of aromatic edible plants and herbs.

Given the climate conditions, the animals can live outside on the pastures, rather than in livestock housing, all year round. Therefore, after the period of feeding exclusively on milk, the kids have access to pastures until they are slaughtered. The grazing period for the young goats ranges from 1 to 2 months, mostly in spring.

The animal’s diet consists largely of free grazing. Given the mild climate, the animals can live outside on the pastures, rather than in livestock housing, and can graze all year round. Therefore, after the period of feeding exclusively on milk, the kids have access to pastures until they are slaughtered.

The adult goats have almost permanent year-round access to pastures, as do the kids for the period between weaning and slaughter. This, together with the lengthy suckling period, gives the quality of the meat its defining characteristics, producing carcasses with sufficient muscle mass in which there is intramuscular fat.

The quantity of intramuscular fat in ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ meat has a direct effect on the moisture content and texture of the meat and on its flavour and the aromas released during cooking.

The identity of the product with the designation ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ is based on the semi-extensive farming method, free grazing and the traditional practices employed by livestock farmers. The demand for the product ‘Katsikaki Limnou’, with the agreeable characteristics described, is an incentive for preserving those livestock farming practices, in order to guarantee those characteristics.

All of the above contribute to the agreeable quality and pleasant organoleptic characteristics of ‘Katsikaki Limnou’ meat that have led to its reputation. The product is linked to the gastronomic tradition of the islands, where local recipes such as ‘kaspakino kid’ are among the favourites of the local population and tourists alike.

Reference to publication of the specification

http://www.minagric.gr/images/stories/docs/agrotis/POP-PGE/2021/prodiagrafes_katsikaki_limnou150222.pdf

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