Publication of an application for registration of a geographical indication pursuant to Article 15(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Date: 2026-02-11
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Cantabria, Spain, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, potato, product designation, quality control of agricultural products




C_202600903EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/903


11.2.2026






Publication of an application for registration of a geographical indication pursuant to Article 15(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council
(C/2026/903)

Within three months from the date of this publication, the authorities of a Member State or of a third country, or a natural or legal person having a legitimate interest and established or resident in a third country, may lodge, in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) an opposition with the Commission.
SINGLE DOCUMENT

Designations of origin and geographical indications of agricultural products



                     ‘Patata de Valderredible’
                  


EU No: PGI-ES-03349


Submitted on 16 September 2024
                  

1.   Name(s)


               ‘Patata de Valderredible’
            
2.   Geographical indication type

PDO ☐ PGI ☒
3.   Country to which the defined geographical area belongs

Spain
4.   Description of the agricultural product

4.1.   Classification of the agricultural product in accordance with the Combined Nomenclature heading and code, as referred to in Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143







 


07 – EDIBLE VEGETABLES AND CERTAIN ROOTS AND TUBERS










 



                        0701  – Potatoes, fresh or chilled




4.2.   Description of the agricultural product to which the registered name applies

The product covered by the ‘Patata de Valderredible’ protected geographical indication (PGI) is defined as tubers of the species Solanum tuberosum L., of the cultivated varieties ‘Agria’, ‘Baraka’, ‘Jaerla’, ‘Kelly’ and ‘Spunta’.

                  ‘Patata de Valderredible’ has the following organoleptic characteristics:






—


The diameter ranges from 40 mm to 75 mm, with most being over 60 mm in diameter.










—


The colour of the flesh ranges from yellow to deep yellow.










—


Elongated oval or round oval shape.










—


Firm and consistent texture.










—


Smooth skin without malformations, with eyes on the surface.




The specific nature of these general characteristics varies according to the variety concerned:










 


‘Agria’


‘Baraka’


‘Jaerla’


‘Kelly’


‘Spunta’




Diameter (mm)


50-75


60-75


40-60


50-75


40-60




Shape


Elongated oval to rounded


Rounded oval to rounded


Rounded oval to rounded


Elongated oval to rounded


Elongated oval to rounded oval




Texture


Firm


Firm


Firm and consistent


Firm and consistent


Firm




Colour of flesh


Deep yellow


Yellow


Deep yellow


Yellow


Yellow




Furthermore, ‘Patata de Valderredible’ has the following physical and chemical characteristics:






—


Dry matter content greater than 20 %.










—


Vitamin C content at least 20 % (20 mg/100 g raw potato).




4.3.   Derogations on sourcing of feed (for products of animal origin designated by a Protected Designation of Origin only) and restrictions on sourcing of raw materials (for processed products designated by a Protected Geographical Indication only)

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

The steps in production that take place within the defined geographical area are cultivation (sowing and harvesting).
4.5.   Specific rules concerning packaging, slicing, grating etc. of the agricultural product the registered name refers to

Packaging takes place within the defined geographical area in response to the need to minimise any losses in the final quality of the product caused by transportation and inadequate storage conditions.
Packaging must be carried out in batches of the same variety and diameter, with a net content of up to 25 kg.
The packaging must be new, clean and made of materials that allow the product to be properly ventilated, preserved and transported, such as net bags or sacks.
The fact that packaging takes place within the defined geographical area reflects the need to minimise any losses in the final quality of the product caused by transportation and inadequate storage conditions.
4.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

All packaging containing the protected product must bear the ‘Patata de Valderredible’ PGI logo and the words ‘Indicación Geográfica Protegida Patata de Valderredible’ [Patata de Valderredible protected geographical indication] or ‘IGP Patata de Valderredible’ [Patata de Valderredible PGI]. The packaging must clearly indicate the variety of potato it contains.
Each package must also bear a numbered certification label bearing the PGI logo, which is issued by the management body.





5.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area for ‘Patata de Valderredible’ is limited to the municipality of Valderredible (Cantabria).
6.   Link with the geographical area

Recognition of this protected geographical indication is based on the specific characteristics of ‘Patata de Valderredible’ PGI, which are attributable to its geographical origin, and on the reputation it has gained.

Specific characteristics attributable to the geographical origin

Valderredible is located in an area of transition between the maritime climate of the inner Cantabrian valleys and the continental climate of Spain’s Meseta Central.
The area’s climate conditions are defined by its relief, its high average elevation and its distance from the ocean. The climate is cold, with average annual temperatures close to 10 °C, and wet, with around 700 mm of precipitation.
The soil types present in the municipality are suitable for growing potatoes, as aerated soils and substrates that are more sandy than clayey abound, especially around the River Ebro. These are good conditions for growing this particular tuber, as it grows better in pH conditions of between 5,5 and 7, which typically occur in these soils.
However, its latitudinal position means that rainfall in the area almost always results from the effect of westerly weather fronts. This means that rainfall is distributed fairly irregularly across the seasons, and is markedly low in the summer.
However, if there is one decisive factor, it is the temperature. The frost period lasts from October to May, with extreme lows occurring between December and March. In May and October, with average minimum temperatures at around 5 °C, intense frosts are very unlikely to occur and temperatures below 0 °C are considerably less frequent.
The climate conditions limit cultivation because frost can damage the young plants or tubers, which are also susceptible to fungal diseases. However, this is also an advantage as it is the main reason for the uniqueness and appreciation of ‘Patata de Valderredible’.

                  ‘Patata de Valderredible’ is characterised by a higher percentage of dry matter and vitamin C than other varieties (Aptitudes físicas y nutricionales de ocho tipos de patata [Physical and nutritional qualities of eight potato types], Froilán, 2024).
The high concentration of dry matter in ‘Patata de Valderredible’ is closely linked to the specific climate conditions in the area: late frosts and an average minimum temperature of around 5 °C. According to studies on potato cultivation, moderate temperatures and the growth cycle duration have a significant influence on the solids content of the tubers (Efecto del clima en la calidad del tubérculo de patata [Effect of climate on the quality of potato tubers], García et al., 2018). In the case of ‘Patata de Valderredible’, the percentage of dry matter is over 20 %, in contrast to the same varieties grown in other areas (Aptitudes físicas y nutricionales de ocho tipos de patata [Physical and nutritional qualities of eight potato types], Froilán, 2024).
The same effect results in an increase in vitamin C or ascorbic acid. A lower-temperature climate helps to reduce the degradation of vitamin C during growth and harvest, as vitamin C decomposes faster at high temperatures. Exposure to moderate temperatures and less frequent occurrence of heat stress help to maintain higher levels of vitamin C in the potatoes. A long growth period also allows the plants to develop higher levels of antioxidants, including vitamin C, which helps to protect them from environmental stress.
Producers’ experience and the knowledge acquired over decades have made it possible to select the most suitable varieties for growing ‘Patata de Valderredible’ and to determine the best time to sow them, taking climate factors into account. This experience and knowledge is highlighted by the research that has been being carried out in the Valderredible district since 1996, such as the Estudio del cultivo, almacenamiento y comercialización de la ‘Patata de Valderredible’
                   [Study on the cultivation, storage and marketing of ‘Patata de Valderredible’] (M. A. Gómez, 1996) or the Proyecto de investigación sobre producción de patatas en Valderredible. Ensayo de variedades [Research project on potato production in Valderredible – variety testing] (M. A. Gómez, 1997).

Reputation

According to numerous bibliographical sources, 1797 was the year in which the potato was introduced to Valderredible, an area belonging to the district of Campoo-Los Valles.
The first to mention this event was Ángel de los Ríos y Ríos in an article entitled ‘El Centenario de las patatas’ [The centenary of the potato], published in the magazine Campoo on 1 January 1897. According to that article, the event in question had taken place 100 years earlier, in 1797.
At that time, around 1797, the Royal Cantabrian Society of Friends of the Country had launched a campaign to promote potato cultivation. As this was the first agricultural production to be promoted by the society, a committee was set up to ‘improve and renew potato species, while making it easier to acclimatise them to a varied climate and economise transport’.
In Valderredible, the first mention of the existence of potato cultivation dates back to 1820.
The rapid acceptance and spread of the potato in the Valderredible valley is extensively reflected in the Dictionary of Pascual Madoz (1845-1850). It documents the existence of potato cultivation in 34 of the 52 population units that make up Valderredible. There is no mention of potato cultivation in 13 villages – which does not necessarily mean that it did not exist, but rather perhaps that it was not considered a fundamental crop – and for 5 population units there is no data available for that time.
Potatoes were sold at major markets: those in Reinosa and Torrelavega, as well as in other parts of the province. The potatoes were also transported by rail to reach markets outside the region, such as those in Madrid and Levante. Since the First World War, farmers in Levante have greatly appreciated ‘Patata de Valderredible’ as seed potatoes.
As the 20th century went on, the potato established itself as Valderredible’s main asset. The crop is of such significance to the valley that the Valderredible municipal management report for 1931-1932 shows that one of the valley’s main assets was the production of potatoes for sowing on irrigated farmland, with an estimated 85 000 tonnes harvested in 1932. This trend continued into the 1950s, as can be seen from the interview with Antonio Rodríguez (Mayor of Valderredible) published in November 1956 by the Fontibre newspaper, in which he explains that the valley’s biggest asset is its agriculture, ‘particularly potato cultivation, which overall produces more than 10 million kilograms per year’.
During the final decades of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st, potatoes continued to be the main agricultural output in the municipality of Valderredible.
This symbiosis between tradition and the natural environment makes it possible to obtain a final product with distinctive organoleptic characteristics.
As well as its traditional popularity and the backing it has been given in scientific and information publications, the reputation of ‘Patata de Valderredible’ is also reflected in the commercial recognition it receives. Not only is it often found in markets, hypermarkets and greengrocers’, but its origin and unique nature bring real added value in communicating with the consumer.
An example of this is provided by the website Frutería El Vergel, which states in its marketing description that: ‘Patata de Valderredible is the potato that is most characteristic of Cantabria; the potato born on the most spectacular of riverbanks, where the River Ebro rises’. These words highlight the inseparable link between the product and the area, reinforcing its symbolic nature.
Similarly, the supermarket chain Lupa markets the product under the name ‘Patata Valderredible’, helping to strengthen its visibility and associating it directly with its geographical area of origin, which further reinforces its prestige and distinction on the market.
At national level, ‘Patata de Valderredible’ is recognised and valued by the tourism and catering industries, which include it in their culinary references. In 2021 the prestigious tourist guide Guía Repsol devoted an article to it entitled ‘La patata de Valderredible, un tesoro a buen precio. Tiempo de patatas’ [Patata de Valderredible, a treasure at a good price. Time for potatoes], in which it highlighted how this crop, which has been established in southern Cantabria on the banks of the Ebro for more than five centuries, has become an essential food and a symbol of identity for the valley.
In addition, recipes using ‘Patata de Valderredible’ can be found in publications on respected digital platforms. For example, recipes have been published for chicken with Patata de Valderredible (El Diario de Cantabria, 2022) and for Patata de Valderredible with anchovies and crab (El Diario Montañés, 2022).
The distinction of ‘Patata de Valderredible’ has also received wide recognition in the media. El Diario Montañés (2024) says that ‘This potato stands out due to its oval and elongated appearance, with a skin that retains small flecks of earth, giving it a unique flavour. “The soil in Valderredible gives our potatoes a special character”, explained one producer.’ This description highlights the direct link between the product and the area, as well as the authenticity that distinguishes it.
Similarly, high-profile national TV channels such as RTVE have publicised the product’s uniqueness in such iconic programmes as ‘España Directo’ (2016) and ‘Aquí la Tierra’ (2024), which highlighted not only its taste and quality but also the cultural and landscape value of the environment in which it is grown.
This image is further enhanced by the assessment given by Cadena SER (Radio Santander), defining ‘Patata de Valderredible’ as ‘the treasure of Valderredible’ (Cadena SER, 2021), solidifying its distinctiveness within the Cantabrian larder.
However, its presence goes beyond the mere culinary, becoming a symbol of social commitment. A good example of this was the act featured in the newspaper El Diario Montañés (2021) whereby one tonne of ‘Patata de Valderredible’ was donated to the food bank. This exemplifies how the product is also associated with values of solidarity and collective responsibility.

Reference to the publication of the product specification of the geographical indication


https://www.alimentosdecantabria.com/documents/33877265/35170950/Pliego+de+Condiciones+IGP+Patata+de+Valderredible_AGOSTO25.pdf/0032663a-531e-18ae-087e-3ecdcc9dec28?t=1758712930734



(1)  Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, as well as traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms for agricultural products, amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2019/787 and (EU) 2019/1753 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (OJ L, 2024/1143, 23.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1143/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/903/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)