EN Official Journal of the European Union C 92/38

Publication of an application 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

(2015/C 92/12)

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).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘ARTICHAUT DU ROUSSILLON’

EU No: FR-PGI-0005-01172 – 5.11.2013

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Name

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’

2. Member State or Third Country

France

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

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ is an artichoke of the genus Cynara, a dicotyledon plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. It comprises the following varieties: Blanc hyérois (also known as Macau), Calico, Pop Vert, Salambo and Violet VP 45.

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’, which is only sold fresh, conforms to the following criteria:

— green or purple in colour;

— flower-head: — globular for the Blanc hyérois, Calico, Pop Vert and Salambo varieties, with a diameter defined as follows: — between 9 and 11 cm for size 18; — between 11 and 13 cm for size 15; — larger than 13 cm for size 12. — small and elongated, ranging from conical to cylindrical for the Violet VP 45 variety, with a diameter of between 3,5 and 6 cm.

— well-closed central bracts, with the first two layers of bracts only slightly open;

— mild taste;

— tender, with a firm, not too fibrous texture.

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ must not have any defects, apart from very slight superficial defects of the bracts’ epidermis or the following slight flaws (provided they do not impair the product’s overall appearance, its quality, its keeping quality or its presentation in the package):

— a slightly flawed shape;

— slight deterioration due to frost (cracks);

— very slight bruising.

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ is sold in trays measuring 60 cm × 40 cm, or in bunches of 5 flower-heads (in the case of the Violet VP 45 variety only).

The stems of ‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ are cleanly cut and measure 10 cm or less (except in the case of artichokes in bunches).

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ is harvested in spring, from March onwards, and the Violet VP 45 variety is also harvested in the autumn.

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

Production and harvesting must take place within the geographical area.

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

After harvesting, the artichoke batches are graded and, within a maximum of 24 hours (working days), they are:

— either chilled (at a temperature of between 4 °C and 10 °C);

— or sorted, packed and shipped.

The artichokes are moistened after packing in order to ensure better preservation.

In order to ensure freshness, the period between harvesting and shipping must not exceed 6 days.

When ‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ is packed in packages of the 60 × 40 cm type, they are sealed using a mechanism that cannot be re-used when the product is put up for sale to the final consumer.

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

Each tray, package or consumer sales unit is identified with:

— the name of the product: ‘Artichaut du Roussillon’;

— the European Union’s PGI logo.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ is planted and harvested in the following communes of the Department of Pyrénées Orientales:

Alénya, Argelès-sur-Mer, Bages, Baho, Banyuls-dels-Aspres, Le Barcarès, Bompas, Bouleternère, Brouilla, Cabestany, Canet-en-Roussillon, Canohès, Claira, Corneilla-del-Vercol, Corneilla-la-Rivière, Elne, Ille-sur-Têt, Latour-Bas-Elne, Llupia, Millas, Montescot, Néfiach, Ortaffa, Palau-del-Vidre, Perpignan, Pézilla-la-Rivière, Pia, Pollestres, Ponteilla, Rivesaltes, Saint-André, Saint-Cyprien, Saint-Estève, Saint-Féliu-d'Amont, Saint-Féliu-d'Avall, Saint-Génis-des-Fontaines, Saint-Hippolyte, Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque, Saint-Nazaire, Sainte-Marie, Saleilles, Salses-le-Château, Le Soler, Théza, Thuir, Torreilles, Toulouges, Villelongue-de-la-Salanque, Villeneuve-de-la-Raho and Villeneuve-la-Rivière.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

Natural factors

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ is produced in the Roussillon plain, a huge amphitheatre facing eastwards towards the Mediterranean sea. It is bordered by the Corbières in the north, the foothills of the Canigou mountains in the west and the Albera massif in the south. The area is crossed by three rivers: the Têt, the Tech and the Agly.

It is a land of deep, alluvial soil where sand predominates and clay is scarce; as a result, the soil is cool and well-drained.

The area has a typical Mediterranean climate, with a very hot and dry summer, framed by two rainier periods with higher levels of atmospheric humidity (at the beginning of spring and in autumn), and a relatively mild winter.

It enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year due to the presence of sustained winds: the dry Tramontane, and the warm, humid Marin.

Human factors

A centuries-old crop

In Roussillon, the tradition of market gardening goes back over a thousand years, as evidenced by the construction of a network of stone irrigation canals dating back to the 11th century.

The artichoke is a traditional Roussillon crop, already grown there in the 18th century. It was around 1830, however, that its production gained momentum.

Specific expertise

Over the years, Roussillon market gardeners have been able to develop and maintain a body of highly technical crop management expertise.

Soil analysis makes it possible to choose plots well-adapted to artichoke growing: clay content between 3 % and 20 %, maximum sand content of 80 %, silt content below 75 % and pH higher than 6,5.

Furthermore, growers have gradually introduced varieties adapted to local conditions: first in the 1950s (Violet, then the VP 45 selection in 1970), then in the 1960s (Blanc hyérois), 1980s and 1990s (Salambo, Calico and Pop Vert).

This expertise can also be seen in the growers' use of plant material selected on their farms (more rarely locally bought, in the case of between 5 % and 10 % of production); the propagation of plant material on the farms helps to ensure that the most suitable material continues to be used.

Manual planting is done in ridges, in order to improve drainage through levelling and to protect the crops from the cold and the wind.

Irrigation is regulated by the grower in order to control water intake and ensure the artichokes' steady growth. Harvesting is done by hand.

Finally, local know-how also includes the observance of consumer customs and habits; hence the presentation of the purple variety in bunches.

5.2. Specificity of the product

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ is characterised by its well-closed bracts, which indicate freshness and good keeping quality.

On a sensory level, it is distinguished by its tenderness, mild taste and firm but not very fibrous texture, characteristics that mean it can be eaten raw and that have earned it its reputation.

Finally, ‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ crops early and is one of the first artichokes to appear on the market in spring.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ has an excellent reputation based on its quality.

Together, the climate and soil conditions of the Roussillon plain make it a land ideal for artichoke growing.

The mild climate, combined with the long hours of sunshine, favours the precocity of ‘Artichaut du Roussillon’. The moderate winter temperatures allow dormancy to be broken naturally, without high risk of frost. The substantial amount of sunlight also influences the plant's life cycle and contributes to the mild flavour of ‘Artichaut du Roussillon’.

The growers choose soils that are loose, deep and low in clay content. This permits excellent drainage – an essential quality for a crop like this one, which is sensitive to excessive moisture.

As the varieties selected for ‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ production are so well-suited to the climate, harvesting can take place during the periods when the humidity level is best for obtaining closed flower-heads, which keep better.

Manual planting in ridges, combined with the local technique of earthing-up, permits excellent anchorage, thus protecting the plants from the wind. Together, irrigation and very deep roots (up to several metres) guarantee a sufficient and regular water supply. This permits regular, stress-free growth, which is essential to prevent the artichokes from becoming too woody and ensure they are firm, but also tender and not too fibrous. These features are a sign of the quality of ‘Artichaut du Roussillon’, which can be eaten raw.

Finally, the fact that harvesting is done solely by hand guarantees that the product's specific characteristics remain unimpaired and ensures the perpetuation of the ‘poivrade’ tradition (presentation in bunches) for the purple variety.

The reputation of ‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ has been attested since the beginning of the 19th century, when the term ‘poivrade’ first came into use.

Already then, Perpignan gardeners were the recipients of many awards, which ‘show that Roussillon artichokes are superior to similar products from the South of France’ (A.Siau, Rapport de l'industrie maraîchere des Pyrénées-Orientales, 1856).

‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ is also renowned in French Catalan cuisine; E. Comelade’s book L’artichaut, l’or vert du Roussillon, published in 2006, includes many traditional artichoke recipes.

Furthermore, the artichoke festival, which has been held on 1 May for nearly fifteen years, is an event the whole region looks forward to. The ‘artichoke race’, a 10 km foot race through the surrounding countryside, has become a qualifying event for the French road-racing championships. The artichoke often features in local village neighbourhood names (the ‘Carxofe’ — meaning artichoke — neighbourhood in Villelongue-de-la-Salanque, for example).

Finally, ‘Artichaut du Roussillon’ is frequently praised by articles in the local and trade papers: ‘A Catalan chef at the famous Paris restaurant Les Buttes Chaumont recommends a fond d’artichaut du Roussillon à l’estouffade to awaken the taste buds’ (L’Indépendant, 2001). In his article Cultiver sa différence Jean Harzig emphasises that ‘this product (…) is highly prized and eagerly awaited on the market’ (Végétable, 2008).

Publication reference of the specification

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

https://www.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCIGPArtichautduRoussillonV1.pdf

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