EN Official Journal of the European Union C 67/26

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

2010/C 67/10

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘MARRONE DELLA VALLE DI SUSA’

EC No: IT-PGI-0005-0564-08.11.2006

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Name:

‘Marrone della Valle di Susa’

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 the product to which the name in (1) applies:

The name ‘Marrone della Valle di Susa’ denotes the fruit obtained from five local ecotypes commonly referred to by the name of the municipality of origin, that is to say: Marrone di San Giorio di Susa, Marrone di Meana di Susa, Marrone di Sant’Antonino di Susa, Marrone di Bruzolo and Marrone di Villar Focchiardo. On release for consumption it must have the following characteristics: no more than three fruit per husk; ellipsoidal in shape, not very pronounced apex with presence of tomentum ending in style remnants that are also tomentose; tobacco-brown to reddish pericarp with 25-30 darker stripes; hazel/chamois-coloured episperm slightly invaginated and separating easily from the seed; elliptical to rectangular hilum scar of a size such that it does not extend over the sides, flat and lighter in colour than the pericarp, with residual pilosity at the edges; clearly visible medium to large star pattern; medium to large size with no more than 85 fruit per kilogram; seed, one per fruit, has white or creamy-white crunchy flesh with a pleasant, sweet taste, and virtually no surface grooves.

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 defined geographical area:

Harvesting, grading, cleaning, sizing and the ‘curatura’ soaking process must take place in the defined geographical area. Produce not placed on the market within 30 days of harvest undergoes ‘curatura’. In order to maintain the keeping qualities of the chestnuts, this must be carried out exclusively by soaking in cold water at ambient temperature for two to eight days, or by soaking in hot water at 48 °C for 50 minutes and then keeping in cold water for another 50 minutes. This process does not harm the typical characteristics of the product.

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

‘Marrone della Valle di Susa’ must be released for consumption in one of the following forms: produce packed in net bags of 1, 2, 2,5, 3 and 10 kg and in hermetically sealed bags of 5, 10, 25 and 50 kg. The fresh product can be released for consumption from 25 September of the year of production.

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling:

When the packaging is closed a label must be affixed containing a logo with the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Marrone della Valle di Susa’ in clear and indelible lettering easily distinguishable from any other wording. Details of the name, business name and address of the packager, the year of production and the original gross weight may be given.

The PGI logo shows a bag full of chestnuts tipped over forwards, open at the end, from which chestnuts are pouring out.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area:

The geographical area comprises all the municipalities of the Susa Valley in which the Susa Valley chestnut is traditionally grown. That area is made up of all the municipalities whose altitude, exposure and average annual temperatures enable the chestnut to be grown. The production area of ‘Marrone della Valle di Susa’ covers the entire territory of the following municipalities in the Province of Turin: Almese, Avigliana, Borgone Susa, Bruzolo, Bussoleno, Caprie, Chianocco, Chiomonte, Chiusa San Michele, Condove, Exilles, Giaglione, Gravere, Mattie, Meana di Susa, Mompantero, Novalesa, Rubiana, Salbertrand, San Didero, San Giorio di Susa, Sant’Ambrogio di Torino, Sant’Antonino di Susa, Susa, Vaie, Venaus, Villar Dora, Villar Focchiardo.

5. Link with the geographical area:

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:

The richness of the soils in sand and gravel, the orientation of the rock strata in the slope direction and the gradient influence the hydrological balance of the Susa Valley and hence the chestnut trees as well. The climate trend is characterised by not very high precipitation owing to the position of the Valley, wedged in between the Sangone and Lanzo Valleys and with the Orsiera massif to the south which impedes the influx of moist air masses from the Mediterranean. With these geological and pedological characteristics of the Susa Valley region the chestnut is able to grow in the best conditions so that the plants grow vigorously, giving the fruit its typical organoleptic qualities.

5.2. Specificity of the product:

The specific characteristics of the product are the colour and crunchiness of its flesh, its sweet and perfumed taste and its medium to large size. These characteristics make ‘Marrone della Valle di Susa’ a product which has always been much appreciated on domestic and foreign markets.

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 granting of the Protected Geographical Indication is requested for ‘Marrone della Valle di Susa’ above all for the undeniable reputation this product has enjoyed for centuries. In the Susa Valley, there are detailed records of chestnut cultivation going back as far as 1200.

Worthy of mention is the ‘Castagneretum di Templeris’, between the municipalities of Villar Focchiardo and San Giorio di Susa, which belongs to the Order of the Knights Templar and where the most ancient stumps still exist today. In the Middle Ages, the chestnut had a fundamental role in the local economy because the chestnut harvest guaranteed well-paid work and ensured an invaluable source of food.

Cultivation then spread through promotion by monastic bodies which set up extensive chestnut woods throughout the Susa Valley using the local ecotypes and which even today produce a much-prized chestnut that is greatly in demand, suitable for fresh consumption and the production of marrons glacés.

There are numerous documents attesting to the historical authenticity of ‘Marroni della Valle di Susa’ and many product orders from well-known Italian and foreign processing firms. The oldest orders date back to the end of the 19th century.

A number of articles in technical journals and local weeklies have been devoted to the ‘Marrone della Valle di Susa’. The ‘Marrone della Valle di Susa’ is included in the ‘Paniere dei Prodotti Tipici della Provincia di Torino’ (Basket of Typical Produce of the Province of Turin).

Furthermore, for the last 40 years the ‘Marrone della Valle di Susa’ has been the star attraction of a very successful festival which currently boasts some 50 000 visitors.

Reference to publication of the specification:

This Ministry launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposal for the grant of ‘Marrone della Val di Susa’ as a protected geographical indication in Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 28 of 3 February 2006.

The full text of the product specification is available:

— on the following website: 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

— by going directly to the home page of the Ministry (http://www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Prodotti di Qualità’ (on the left of the screen) and then on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE [regolamento (CE) n. 510/2006]’.

(1) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.