EN Official Journal of the European Union C 255/19

Publication of an amendment 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

(2017/C 255/14)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

APPLICATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION THAT IS NOT MINOR

Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘ARANCIA DEL GARGANO’

EU No: PGI-IT-02283 — 24.1.2017

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Consorzio di Tutela dell’Arancia del Gargano IGP e del Limone Femminello del Gargano IGP Via Varano, 11 71012 Rodi Garganico (FG) ITALIA Email: garganoagrumi@pec.it

The protection association ‘Consorzio di Tutela dell’Arancia del Gargano IGP e del Limone Femminello del Gargano IGP’ is entitled to submit an amendment application pursuant to Article 13(1) of Decree No 12511 of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy of 14 October 2013.

2. Member State or Third Country

Italy

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

— ☐ Product name — ☒ Product description — ☐ Geographical area — ☐ Proof of origin — ☒ Production method — ☐ Link — ☒ Labelling — ☒ Other [Technical adaptation, checks, logo]

4. Type of amendment(s)

— ☒ Amendment to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. — ☐ Amendment to the product specification of registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

5. Amendment(s)

Description of product

— Article 2 of the product specification

1. The following is added to the description of the ‘Arancia del Gargano’ (PGI) — Biondo Comune del Gargano variety: ‘For oranges intended exclusively for processing the minimum diameter is 50 mm.’ Reduction of the minimum diameter from 60 mm to 50 mm is proposed only for fruit intended for processing. The amendment allows producers to include in the PGI certification system all the variations of the Biondo Comune cultivar typically grown. The change has no effect on the characteristics of the product intended for the end consumer.

Production method

— Article 5 of the product specification

2. The sentence in paragraph 5.2 ‘Rootstock’: ‘The rootstock, in accordance with agronomic tradition, is “melangolo” (citrus mearda), certified as such under the applicable legislation.’ is amended as follows: ‘The rootstock, in accordance with agronomic tradition, is “melangolo” (Citrus x aurantium L.), replaceable as an alternative by other rootstocks nevertheless certified under the applicable legislation.’ The purpose of this proposal is first of all to correct the term used in the old specification to specify the botanical species of the rootstock that corresponds to the common name (‘melangolo’). In the old specification, the scientific name for ‘melangolo’ is wrongly given as citrus mearda, whereas Citrus x aurantium L., scientifically recognised and established as a hybrid, is now considered to be more accurate. Secondly, the words ‘replaceable as an alternative by other rootstocks nevertheless certified under the applicable legislation’ are added because growers need to be able to use other rootstocks, given the increasing lack of availability of bitter orange rootstock.

3. The sentence in paragraph 5.5 ‘Crop care’: ‘Working of the soil is confined to spring hoeing and dressing, generally still with goat and sheep manure;’ is amended as follows: ‘Working of the soil is confined to spring hoeing and dressing, generally still with organic fertiliser;’ Replacing the words ‘generally still with goat and sheep manure’ reflects the need to specify the use of organic fertiliser, but without further specifying its nature. The gradual reduction in the number of sheep and goat farms since the specification was drawn up means it is difficult to find sheep and goat manure.

4. The sentence in paragraph 5.5 ‘Crop care’: ‘Crop care continues with protection from bad weather, using windbreaks, and from pests, mainly scale insects, which cause the problem of sooty mould.’ is amended as follows: ‘Crop care continues with protection from bad weather, using windbreaks, and from pests.’ The amendment is necessary to bring the specification up to date. Pest damage is not caused ‘mainly’ by scale insects and sooty mould, but by an ever increasing range of pests that citrus growers continuously have to contend with. The word ‘metoriche’, obviously a mistake, is also corrected. [This correction does not apply to the English translation.]

5. The sentence in paragraph 5.6 ‘Yield’: ‘Yield must not exceed 30 tonnes per hectare for Biondo Comune del Gargano and 25 tonnes per hectare for the local Duretta del Gargano ecotype.’ is amended as follows: ‘Yield must not exceed 30 tonnes per hectare for Biondo Comune del Gargano and 25 tonnes per hectare for the local Duretta del Gargano cultivar.’ The term ‘local ecotype’ is replaced by ‘local cultivar’. According to new agronomic knowledge, ‘Duretta del Gargano’ is classified as a cultivar.

Labelling

— Article 8 of the product specification

6. The paragraph: ‘In compliance with the general and metrological rules of the trade in fresh fruit and vegetables, the product may be placed on the market: 1. Loose, and each fruit must bear the PGI logo “Arancia del Gargano”. 2. In packs, i.e. wrapped, and at least 80 % of the fruit in the pack must bear the logo. If the fruit is packaged, the containers must be rigid, with a capacity of between 1 kg and 25 kg, and must be made of material of vegetable origin, such as wood or cardboard. The commercial packs must bear the following indications: “Arancia del Gargano”, followed by the name of the ecotype sold, “Biondo Comune” or “Duretta”.’ is amended as follows: ‘In compliance with the general and metrological rules of the trade in fresh fruit and vegetables, the product may be placed on the market: 1. In packs, and at least 80 % of the fruit in the pack must have a sticker or be wrapped. The containers must be rigid, with a capacity of between 1 kg and 25 kg, and must be made of material of vegetable origin, such as wood or cardboard. 2. For oranges of size 9 to 13 intended for processing, individual stickers are not compulsory. In any case, the packs or packaging, including nets and similar packaging, must bear, in addition to the information required by law, the words “Arancia del Gargano PGI for processing”, in clear, indelible characters, easily distinguishable from any other writing. The packs referred to in (1) above must bear the following indications: — “Arancia del Gargano”, followed by the name of the cultivar sold, “Biondo Comune” or “Duretta”; — the logo; — the acronym PGI (or the words in full); — the name of the producer/trader, company name, address of the packer, net weight as sold.’ Removal of the ‘loose’ category, where each fruit has to bear the PGI logo, was requested by operators because of the cost and time required to place the PGI logo on each individual orange. The preparation of oranges for sale is very often done manually by small family businesses. It was therefore decided to provide for sale of the fruit only ‘in packs’, while guaranteeing that at least 80 % has a sticker. The 80 % limit also covers individually wrapped fruit. Replacement of the term ‘ecotype’ with ‘cultivar’ is in line with the amendment under point 5 above. Specific provisions are introduced for oranges intended for processing. A new point 2 is necessary because of the need to commercially exploit fruit of size 9 to 13 without requiring producers to apply stickers, given that the fruit is for processing. In order to protect the origin and the traceability of the fruit, the PGI name ‘Arancia del Gargano’ followed by the words ‘for processing’ should be shown on the packs or packaging used.

7. The final paragraph on users of the PGI name ‘Arancia del Gargano’ in processed products: ‘Users of the protected designation product are authorised by the holders of the intellectual property right concerned, grouped together in a syndicate and assigned a supervisory role by the Ministry of Agricultural Policy. This syndicate will be responsible for registering and monitoring the correct use of the protected designation. In the absence of a supervisory syndicate, these functions shall be carried out by the Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policy, as the national authority responsible for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92.’ has been deleted because it is not relevant to the content of the product specification.

Other

Technical adaptation

— Article 6 of the product specification

8. The sentence: ‘From a plant geography point of view, the area, which is lush and luxuriant, falls within the band of vegetation which may be classified as highly developed “quercino ilicis”.’ is amended as follows: ‘The environment may be described as follows: climate in the “Mediterranean” macro-bioclimate range, with meso-Mediterranean bioclimate (upper meso-Mediterranean thermotype and lower subhumid ombrotype).’ The sentence has to be changed because the growing environment needs to be described in more appropriate technical and scientific language, in line with advances in climatological knowledge about the Gargano.

Checks

9. Legal references to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council have been updated.

10. References to the inspection body responsible for checking the product specification should be included in the product specification.

Logo

Below is the product logo, which appears in point 3.6 of the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘ARANCIA DEL GARGANO’

EU No: PGI-IT-02283 — 24.1.2017

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name

‘Arancia del Gargano’

2. Member State or Third Country:

Italy

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 product to which the name in (1) applies

Fresh fruit of the ecotypes Biondo Comune del Gargano or Duretta del Gargano, known locally as ‘arancia tosta’.

The main characteristics of ‘Arancia del Gargano’ are as follows:

Biondo Comune del Gargano:

— spherical or pear-shaped;

— the rind is fairly thin, tough with a relatively smooth texture and a vibrant golden-yellow colour;

— minimum diameter at the centre 60 mm;

— minimum yield of juice, hand-pressed, 35 %

The pith is soft with average adherence. The carpel length is uneven, average and half-full. The pulp and juice are yellow-orange in colour, with no less than 9 % sugar content, less than 1,2 % acidity, at least 10 % Brix sugar level and a ripeness index (ratio between degrees Brix and citric acid) of at least 6.

For oranges intended exclusively for processing the minimum diameter is 50 mm.

Arancia duretta:

— round or oval, locally known as duretta tonda or a viso lungo respectively;

— the rind is pale orange, varying in intensity, very smooth with fine papillae.

— the pulp is finely textured with small vesicae, amber-coloured, typically crunchy, with very few or no seeds and less than 1,2 % acidity;

— average diameter at the centre 55-60 mm;

— minimum yield of juice, hand-pressed, 35 %

— no less than 10 % sugar content;

— at least 11 % Brix and ripening index (Brix/citric acid) no less than 6,2.

Fruit of the above two types must be heavy, weighing at least 100 g, with even-coloured rind and bright green in colour at the base of the peduncle.

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 identified geographical area

All steps in the production of ‘Arancia del Gargano’ must take place in the identified geographical area.

The fruit is harvested by hand with the aid of scissors.

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

In compliance with the general and metrological rules of the trade in fresh fruit and vegetables, the product may be placed on the market:

1. In packs, and at least 80 % of the fruit in the pack must have a sticker or be wrapped. The containers must be rigid, with a capacity of between 1 kg and 25 kg, and must be made of material of vegetable origin, such as wood or cardboard.

2. For oranges of size 9 to 13 intended for processing, individual stickers are not compulsory. In any case, the packs or packaging, including nets and similar packaging, must bear, in addition to the information required by law, the words ‘Arancia del Gargano PGI for processing’, in clear, indelible characters, easily distinguishable from any other writing.

In order to ensure traceability and control, the relevant geographical area for packaging is the production area indicated in point 4.

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

The packs must bear the following indications:

— ‘Arancia del Gargano’, followed by the name of the cultivar sold, ‘Biondo Comune’ or ‘Duretta’;

— The acronym PGI (or the words in full);

— The name of the producer/trader, company name, address of the packer, net weight as sold;

— The logo:

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The production and packing area is located in the province of Foggia (Region of Apulia) and includes the municipalities of Vico del Gargano, Ischitella and Rodi Garganico, specifically a section of the northern part of the Gargano promontory — part coastal and part sub-coastal — from Vico del Gargano and Rodi Garganico up to Ischitella.

5. Link with the geographical area

The application to register this PGI is based on the unquestionable reputation of this citrus fruit.

The local climate where the fruit is grown lends it appreciable qualitative properties. Firstly, the climate is not excessively hot, which discourages the growth of serious diseases of the fruit or trees. Secondly, again linked to the climate, it is the ripening period that gives the fruit from the Gargano area its authentic features; it does not ripen in January, February or March, but as late as the end of April to May and even up to August, several months after the ripening period of citrus fruit from all other areas in Italy. A third but no less important aspect is its high preservation capacity, which in the past enabled ‘Arancia del Gargano’ to be transported for 30 or even 40 days to arrive intact in Chicago or New York.

An essential factor for the spread and reputation of this citrus fruit is, in addition to the unmistakeable organoleptic qualities of ‘Arancia del Gargano’ and particular size, the blend of climate and soil conditions in the production area (red-calcareous land, rich in iron and manganese, mostly sloping from valley sides or, in sections, valley floors, exposure to cold winds causing sudden drops in temperature), and by man’s constant work on the land, which over time has built up a wealth of agronomic expertise.

The reputation of ‘Arancia del Gargano’ has transcended regional borders ever since antiquity and was mentioned in the works of several authors, including Gabriele d’Annunzio himself. Since 1700, citrus fruit from the Gargano peninsula were the focus of a procession that is still held now, each year in February, to honour Saint Valentine, patron saint of citrus groves, during which orange and lemon trees and fruit are blessed. Numerous records, photographs, posters and advertisements have been kept to show the exceptional reputation — even internationally — of this unique fruit from the Gargano.

The first historic references on citrus growing in the area date from 1003, courtesy of Melo, prince of Bari, who sent local ‘pomi citrini’ to Normandy, equivalent to the melangolo (bitter orange) to show the Normans the rich production of the Gargano region. During the 1600s, the municipalities of Vico del Gargano and Rodi Garganico traded large quantities of citrus fruits with the Venetians. This high level of trading continued into the 1800s and the reputation of the ‘Arancia del Gargano’ even reached other European countries and America.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

The Ministry launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposal for amending the product specification for the PGI ‘Arancia del Gargano’ in Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 283 of 3 December 2016. The consolidated text of the product specification can be consulted on the following website:

http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

or alternatively:

by going directly to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Prodotti DOP e IGP’ (at the top right-hand side of the screen), then on ‘Prodotti DOP, IGP e STG’ (on the left-hand side of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE’.

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