4.10.2014

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 350/24

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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

(2014/C 350/12)

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

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs  (2)

‘MELOA DE SANTA MARIA — AÇORES’

EC No: PT-PGI-0005-01124 — 1.7.2013

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Name

2.   Member State or Third Country

Portugal

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

‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’ is a reticulated cantaloupe melon of the species Cucumis melo L.

The fruit is round to oval in shape, has a markedly reticulated rind that is greenish when unripe and turns greenish yellow as it ripens and soft, aromatic orange-coloured flesh that tastes sweet and juicy when ripe.

The physical, chemical and nutritional characteristics of the product are set out in the tables below.

Parameter	Average value	Minimum value	Maximum value
Water content (g/%)	88,11-89,03	86,63	91,10
pH	6,26-6,37	5,37	6,66
Crude protein (g/%)	0,67-0,83	0,5	1,1
Reducing sugars (g/%)	3,67-3,78	3	6
Total sugars (g/%)	8,33-9,56	6	11
Ascorbic acid (mg/100g)	0,17-0,23	0,1	0,4

Parameter	Average value	Unit	Minimum value	Maximum value
Sodium	41	mg Na/%	25,9	57,1
Potassium	426,5	mg K/%	323,6	516,6
Calcium	67,3	mg Ca/%	46,0	109,2
Magnesium	90,6	mg Mg/%	71,9	123,3
Soluble iron	< 0,1	mg Fe/%	—	< 0,1
Total iron	< 0,1	mg Fe/%	—	< 0,1
Vitamin C	104,8	mg vit. C/%	64,21	165,8

‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’ is intended for consumption fresh and is sold whole. The fruit are sorted by diameter and weight, and only fruit with a diameter of over 10 cm and weighing between 600 and 1 400 g are accepted (weight between 600 and 799 g, size II; weight between 800 and 1 400 g, size I).

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

‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’ must be grown, harvested and selected in the defined geographical area.

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

‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’ is packaged individually or together, arranged in a single layer. The contents of each package must be homogeneous, and consist only of fruit of the same provenance (farm), variety, size and degree of ripeness. The fruit that can be seen must be representative of all the fruit in the package.

3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling

In addition to the statutory information, the following must appear on all packaging:

The words ‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores Indicação Geográfica Protegida (IGP)’.

Product logo.

Community logo.

Certification mark (this allows the inspection body to be identified and the product traced via the compulsory numbering system).

All the fruit, regardless of how it is presented for sale, must be individually identified with the product logo and the certification mark.

Product logo:

The product logo, in addition to the standard version shown above, in colour on a white background, may be reproduced in the following variations: in colour on a black background, in shades of grey on a white background and in black and white, positive or negative.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The defined geographical area comprises all the parishes on the island of Santa Maria in the Archipelago of the Azores.

5.   Link with the geographical area

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area

The island of Santa Maria is the only island in the Archipelago of the Azores that has areas of sedimentary origin (limestone) in addition to the volcanic formations found on the other islands. The specificity of this island is therefore entirely derived from the type of soil: clay loam, very rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium and in all the other micronutrients; the organic matter content is high and the pH is neutral.

Due to its position in the south-east of the archipelago and its low altitude, the island of Santa Maria has lower humidity levels than the other islands. The climate is considered dry and temperate, with little fluctuation between the average winter temperature (14 °C) and the average summer temperature (22 °C) and an annual average temperature that varies between 10° and 20 °C. In terms of the relative humidity of the air, the climate is considered humid (annual average relative humidity at 09.00 between 75 % and 90 %). As regards precipitation, it is classified as moderately rainy to rainy (average annual precipitation between 500 and 2 000 mm), depending on the area. In short, the island of Santa Maria has its own very specific climatic conditions, explained by its location, size, morphology and orography, which distinguish it from the other islands of the Archipelago of the Azores.

The combination of climate and the diverse types of soil and relief gives the island's agricultural produce very specific characteristics, and it precisely this that makes ‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’ stand out from other melons. Another important factor is the producers' expertise in growing the crop and the techniques they use — such as incorporating forage legume residue into the soil, shape pruning, knowing how to tell when the fruit is perfectly ripe, good irrigation and rigorous selection of the fruit. The result is a product which, by its flavour, texture and aroma, can be distinguished from other melons, and is widely recognised by consumers elsewhere in the Azores and in mainland Portugal.

The melons have been known for their flavour of the local melons has been acknowledged since they were first introduced on the island, as stated by Gaspar Frutuoso in 1570: ‘(…) melons are also plentiful, the best on these islands, and there is not a single one, even the least good, that does not taste delicious (…)’. In modern times, the island continues to be known for fruit production and is ‘famous for its melons’ (Guido de Monterey, 1981, p. 47).

5.2.   Specificity of the product

‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’ can be distinguished from fruit of the same category produced elsewhere by its physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics. Organoleptically, it is distinguished by its soft, orange-coloured flesh, and sweet, juicy taste when ripe, which is very specific to the varieties grown on the island of Santa Maria. It can be detected immediately by its aroma, created by the release of volatile acids.

Of the nutritional properties listed in point 3.2 an important one is the high vitamin C content, compared to the average value for common melons, and the fact that it is rich in minerals, including potassium, magnesium and calcium. Regarding energy values, ‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’ has higher average values than the common melon. It also contains more protein, fat and carbohydrate. Regarding fibre, it has lower values than the common melon.

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)

As a crop melons were introduced by colonists on the island of Santa Maria around the 16th century and then continued to be grown as a garden crop. Writing about regional production at that time, when the island's main agricultural products were wine and sweet potatoes, Adriano Ferreira (1996, p. 88) provides a historical record of the lands and its people, stating that ‘Santa Maria was known for its excellent melons, which were exported to other islands. And let it be said, while we are about it, that our fruit was always good, although we never produced large quantities of it’.

More recently, in the seventies, emigrants from America began to introduce hybrid melon varieties. Local growers soon realised that these new varieties grew very well and produced high quality fruit, in addition to having excellent commercial potential, and gradually increased their production area. For almost 20 years efforts focused on finding the melon variety that best adapted to Santa Maria's soil and climatic conditions and met the islanders' demands. Reticulated cantaloupe varieties were the ones selected.

The specific characteristics of ‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’ — rough rind, juicy, orange-coloured flesh, sweet taste and aroma — derive from the soil and climatic conditions of the island and the local production methods. The development of volatile acids, which occurs when the fruit ripens and gives it its aroma, and the specific characteristics of the local soil, rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium and other micronutrients, give the fruit the physical, chemical and nutritional characteristics described in points 3.2 and 5.2.

Also important is the producers' knowledge of the fruit and method of production, including the fact that on Santa Maria forage legume residue — Outonos (field beans/yellow lupin) — is incorporated into the soil, which improves its fertility in a natural and very specific way. For better plant development it is important to carry out shape pruning on ‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’; this is not traditionally done on common melons. ‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’ is very susceptible to root rot, so reducing the amount of water given at harvesting time is beneficial for the quality of the fruit. The production techniques, degree of ripeness, sorting by size and manual selection of the fruit when harvested all result in a melon with specific physical and chemical characteristics that distinguish it from similar melons grown elsewhere in Europe.

‘Meloa de Santa Maria — Açores’, established by tradition, is very popular and is preferred by consumers who can tell it apart from melons grown elsewhere by its appearance and flavour. Originally, it was sold only on the local market. However, the product's reputation for excellent quality led to an increase in demand from major commercial operators on the neighbouring island, São Miguel, which was an incentive to increase both the quantity and quality of the fruit produced. Today it is a distinct product with specific characteristics that are closely linked to the geographical production area, the island of Santa Maria in the Archipelago of the Azores.

Publication reference of the specification

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (3))

http://www.dgadr.mamaot.pt/images/docs/val/dop_igp_etg/Valor/doc/CE_MeloaStaMaria.pdf

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

(2)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(3)  See footnote 2.

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