Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification 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 2023/C 95/10
Date: 2023-03-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Catalonia, Spain, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, olive oil, product designation, quality control of agricultural products








C_2023095EN.01001501.xml










14.3.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 95/15






Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification 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
(2023/C 95/10)
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) within three months from the date of this publication.
APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH 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


’ACEITE DE TERRA ALTA / OLI DE TERRA ALTA'


EU No: PDO-ES-0245-AM02 — 30.11.2021


PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest






Consejo Regulador de la DOP Oli de Terra Alta




[Regulatory Board for the PDO ‘Oli de Terra Alta’]




C/ Bassa d’en Gaire, 1




43780 Gandesa




ESPAÑA




Tel. +34 977420474
Email: info@dopoliterraalta.cat
Internet: www.dopoliterraalta.cat
The Regulatory Board for the Protected Designation of Origin ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’ or ‘Oli de Terra Alta’ is made up of all the producers and processors covered by the PDO ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’ and it has a legitimate interest in submitting the amendment application.
2.   Member State or Third Country

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







☐


Name of product










☒


Description of product










☐


Geographical area










☐


Proof of origin










☒


Method of production










☒


Link










☐


Labelling










☐


Other [to be specified]




4.   Type of amendment(s)







☒


Amendment to 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 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)

The amendments to the specification for the PDO ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’, for which this application is being made, correspond to an amendment to the product description, some non-essential amendments to the growing conditions and lastly, changes to the wording on the link, which only affect the single document.








5.1.


Monovarietal oil made from olives of the Arbequina variety, grown in the geographical area for the PDO ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’, has been added under ‘Description of product’ (section B.1 of the specification and point 3.2 of the single document). The description of the oil protected by the PDO has therefore been expanded to include oil made solely from olives of the Arbequina variety, as well as monovarietal oil made from the main variety Empeltre and blends of the latter with the other varieties permitted by the PDO, which include Arbequina (as stated in the previous version of the specification).
The amended text now reads as follows:
‘Extra-virgin olive oil from the fruit of Olea Europaea L., of the Empeltre variety, or the Arbequina variety, or a blend with Empeltre as the main variety and Arbequina, Morruda and Farga as secondary varieties, obtained by mechanical or other physical means which do not alter the oil and which preserve the taste, aroma and characteristics of the fruit from which it is produced.


Empeltre is the main and traditional variety because of its predominance in the production area.’
Reason: Arbequina is the second variety in order of importance and presence grown in the geographical area of the PDO, accounting for 22 % of the area under olive trees. Empeltre is the main variety and accounts for 65 % of the crop. Arbequina has become more prevalent in recent years as new groves with supplemental irrigation have been planted, but its presence in the area goes back further than that. The inclusion of monovarietal oil made from olives of the Arbequina variety in the PDO for ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’ recognises an extra-virgin olive oil that has been produced in this area for over 40 years. Factors intrinsic to the area – its relief, altitude, soil, climate, etc. – and the traditional growing practices specific to the geographical area for the PDO ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’ have given this monovarietal Arbequina extra-virgin olive oil a distinctive and characteristic profile that sets it apart from oils made from the same variety but produced elsewhere.
The monovarietal oil made from olives of the Arbequina variety has the same typical characteristics as the oil protected by the PDO ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’. This is confirmed by the report ‘Classification of “Arbequina” oils produced in the geographical area for the PDO “Oli de Terra Alta”’ by the Institute of Agri-Food Research and Technology (Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentària - IRTA) in 2020, which concluded that oils made from Arbequina olives grown in the area for the PDO meet the requirements of the specification for the PDO ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’. Including Arbequina oil in the PDO does not therefore entail any change to the sensory profile or physico-chemical characteristics of the oils covered by the PDO.












5.2.


The following non-essential amendments are being made to subsection E.a ‘Growing conditions’ of the specification:






—


The ‘Planting distances’ section is being amended to reflect the current growing conditions and include the new irrigated groves, which have much higher planting densities of up to 500-1 200 trees per hectare. To be more specific, the following sentence is being added:

‘In the case of the irrigated groves, the average density is estimated to be about 500-1 200 trees per hectare.’











—


An additional paragraph dealing specifically with the fertigation technique used in the irrigated groves has been added to the ‘Tillage’ section, which includes information on fertiliser. To be more specific, the paragraph that has been added to the specification is as follows:

‘In the irrigated groves, fertiliser is applied by mixing balanced, compound liquid fertiliser with the irrigation water, using formulas that are shared between the olive growers themselves or advised or recommended by agronomists working in the area.’











—


For the same reason provided for the two previous points, i.e. to supplement the information in the specification and take account of the increase in higher density groves as a result of irrigation, the following paragraphs have been added to the ‘Irrigation’ section:

‘In the last decade (2010-2020) there has been a widespread increase in irrigated groves throughout the geographical area for the PDO. It is not something that is limited to just one part of the area.


Almost all of the irrigation facilities are of the supplemental type, which provide variable amounts of water per hectare as needed depending on the time of year and weather.’





Reason: As supplemental irrigation has been introduced in the area of the PDO, the last decade has seen a major increase in irrigated groves and a decrease in the more traditional rainfed groves. These new groves, which are located throughout the area of the PDO, typically have much higher planting densities than rainfed groves. It was therefore deemed appropriate to expand on and update these aspects of the growing conditions included in section E.a of the specification (‘Method of production: growing conditions’), as although there were already some irrigated groves when the PDO was recognised, they accounted for only a small minority.












5.3.


There have also been some non-essential amendments to point 5 (‘Link’) of the single document, which do not entail any change to the nature of the link between the PDO product and the geographical area. There have been no changes to this section of the specification.
The purpose of these amendments is to make it clear that the four varieties from which the PDO oils can be made are native varieties traditionally grown in the area and perfectly adapted to the soil and climate conditions of the production area. The wording of the previous version of the single document could be misleading and give the impression that the only variety that is traditionally grown and perfectly adapted to the area is the main variety, Empeltre. This is the reason why it has been deemed appropriate to clarify this point in the single document.




SINGLE DOCUMENT

’ACEITE DE TERRA ALTA / OLI DE TERRA ALTA'


EU No: PDO-ES-0245-AM02 — 30.11.2021


PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

’ Aceite de Terra Alta / Oli de Terra Alta'
2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.5. Oils and fats (butter, margarine, oil, etc.)
3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

Extra-virgin olive oil from the fruit of Olea Europaea L, from the Empeltre variety, or the Arbequina variety, or a blend with Empeltre as the main variety and Arbequina, Morruda and Farga as secondary varieties, obtained by mechanical or other physical means which do not alter the oil and which preserve the taste, aroma and characteristics of the fruit from which it is produced. Empeltre is the main and traditional variety because of its predominance in the production area.
Oil with the ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’ designation of origin has the following characteristics:

Organoleptic properties:







Appearance


Clear, transparent




Colour


The olives picked at the start of the harvest season are green or greenish yellow in colour, turning yellow (from pale yellow to old gold) as the season progresses.




Flavour


Oils with good flavour and medium-to-intense fruitiness, becoming sweeter as the harvest season progresses, with light fruitiness. With hints on the nose redolent of almond and/or nuts.




Median of defect (Md)


0 




Median for the fruity attribute


≥ 2,5 




Median for the bitter attribute


≤ 6 




Median for the pungent attribute


≤ 6 





Chemical and physical properties:







Maximum acidity (% of oleic acid)


0,50 




Maximum peroxide value (meq. 02/kg)


18 




Maximum K270



0,20 




Maximum K232



2,50 




The sensory profile and the physico-chemical characteristics of the 4 varieties are very similar, resulting in homogeneous products, therefore the main characteristics of the olive oil ‘Aceite de Terra Alta / Oli de Terra Alta’ are not affected by the blending of these varieties.
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

The olives must be grown and the product processed solely within the geographical area defined in point 4.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

The olive oil may be packaged either within or outside the defined geographical area described in point 4.
For retail sale, the product must be packaged in containers holding up to 5 litres and permitted by the legislation in force.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The name of the designation ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’ (in Spanish) or ‘Oli de Terra Alta’ (in Catalan) must be displayed on the packaging, along with the phrase ‘Protected Designation of Origin’ or ‘PDO’ in addition to the information of a general nature required in the relevant legislation.
4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area comprises the Terra Alta district and some municipalities in the Ribera d’Ebre district, both located in the southwest of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia.
The following municipalities are therefore included in this geographical area:








Terra Alta


Ribera d’Ebre




Arnés


Corbera d’Ebre


Pinell de Brai


Ascó




Batea


Gandesa


Pobla de Massaluca


Flix (all polygons with the exception of polygons 13,18, 19, 20 and 21)




Bot


Horta de Sant Joan


Prat de Comte


Riba roja d’Ebre




Caseres


La Fatarella


Vilalba dels Arcs


 




5.   Link with the geographical area

The protected olive oils are produced and processed in the southern part of the Ebro valley. The varied topography, and the fact that it is an inland region, far removed from the sea, means that it is considered a transition zone between the mountain climate and the continental Mediterranean climate. In terms of soil and climate, it is characterised by three key factors:






—


Altitude: the area lies on a plateau averaging 400 m above sea level, composed of limey, very-low fertility soils.










—


Natural barriers: three mountain ridges converge in the district - the ‘Pàndols’ and ‘Cavalls’, with maximum altitudes of 700 m, and the largest ridge, ‘Els ports de Beseit’, the northernmost peaks of which reach altitudes of 1 400 m. All of this creates a distinctive terrain, which gives the area a unique micro-climate with an inland Mediterranean climate of extreme temperatures, wide temperature ranges, and summer drought.










—


Winds: in addition to - and as a consequence of - the above, the winds in the area are of major importance, not so much because of their intensity (which is not excessive), but because of what they contribute to the growing conditions. The two most important winds in the area are the ‘Garbinada’ and the ‘Cerç’.




The character of the olive oil protected by the PDO comes from the varieties, which are native to and traditionally grown in the area. They are appreciated for their high oil content and the excellent quality of the resulting oils. The Empeltre variety grows naturally and exclusively throughout the Ebro valley and the Balearic Islands. The geographical area of the PDO ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’ or ‘Oli de Terra Alta’ corresponds exactly to the southern part of this valley. Empeltre, Arbequina, Farga and Morruda are varieties that are perfectly adapted to the soil and climate characteristics of the production area of the PDO. This is because they were not introduced in recent times but are the result of a process of natural selection that gave rise to hardy varieties adapted to the poor soils and able to withstand the drought and cold. In fact, Empeltre is the main variety that is traditional in the Terra Alta district, and also the only variety that is grown in certain locations. The Empeltre variety is so important and special in the Terra Alta district that it also goes by the name of ‘Terra Alta’ in plant nurseries. These varieties are so well adapted to the soil and climate conditions in the area that the Institute of Agri-Food Research and Technology (Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentària - IRTA) established groves of Empeltre and Arbequina clones to enhance the varieties in the current area for the PDO, in the municipalities of Batea and Gandesa, respectively.
The altitude, the natural barriers that shape the area’s terrain, and the winds all create a unique micro-climate in the area. This directly affects the life-cycle of the olive tree, and as a result, its fruit - the olive - and the oil which is produced from it.
In the specific case of the winds, the ‘Garbinada’, a south-west wind, brings the moisture necessary for the cultivation of olive trees. Thanks to its characteristics and frequency, the ‘Cerç’, a cold and dry wind from the north-west, prevents many health problems (fungal infections), helping to ensure that the raw material for the oil ripens without problems, and that it arrives at the oil mills in excellent condition.
Historically, ‘Aceite de Terra Alta’ and ‘Oli de Terra Alta’ is the result of a long tradition, as the Arabs are credited with bringing olive cultivation to the Terra Alta district. In 1192, at the time of the transition from Arab to Christian rule, olive oil was already considered to be one of the most important agricultural products from this district (Cartes de Poblament de Gandesa, 1992). Moreover, according to Antoni Mascaró in his book ‘My memories’ (Mis memorias, 1948), olives were the most widely cultivated crop in Batea (municipality in Terra Alta district) around 1787, followed by grains and vines. The text states ‘[…] the olive oil harvest that gives this area its robust wealth amounted to 21 000 pitchers this year, weighing 38 pounds each, i.e. 31 920 Castilian arrobas […]’. This is equivalent to 350 000 kilos of oil, or about 1 800 000 kilos of olives. Considering that the population at the time was less than 1 000 inhabitants, this gives an idea of just how important olive oil production was in the area in the 18th century. In the middle of the 19th century, its importance continued, and in what is now Terra Alta, olive oil accounted for the largest share of cultivation, far outstripping present levels of production (‘Diccionario Geográfico-Estadístico-Histórico de España’ by Pascual Madoz, 1847). There is also praise for the quality and the claim that the Gandesa area ‘[…] produces large amounts of high-quality olive oil, wheat and rye […] ’
The natural factors of the geographical area have therefore shaped the natural selection of its olives, which are well-suited to the production of olive oil. Combined with the area’s long history of olive-growing (linked to all the growing and processing stages, from tilling through to harvesting at the time of optimum ripeness, and processing) this enables the production of the highest quality olive oils, with good flavour, a fruity taste, and hints on the nose redolent of almond and/or nuts.

Reference to publication of the specification

While the amendment is being processed, the updated product specification can be consulted via the following link: http://agricultura.gencat.cat/web/.content/al_alimentacio/al02_qualitat_alimentaria/normativa-dop-igp/plecs-tramit/pliego-condiciones-dop-aceite-terra-alta-modificacio-2021-es.pdf
Once it has been approved, it will be available at: http://agricultura.gencat.cat/ca/ambits/alimentacio/segells-qualitat-diferenciada/distintius-origen/dop-igp/normativa-dop-igp/plecs-condicions/en-vigor/castella/


(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.