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

‘Oliva Alta Daunia’

EU No: PDO-IT-03449 – 2.9.2025

1.   Name(s)

‘Oliva Alta Daunia’

2.   Geographical indication type

PDO ☒ PGI ☐

3.   Country to which the defined geographical area belongs

Italy

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

20 – PREPARATIONS OF VEGETABLES, FRUIT, NUTS OR OTHER PARTS OF PLANTS

2004 90 30 – Sauerkraut, capers and olives

2004 90 – Other vegetables and mixtures of vegetables

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

The ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ PDO is reserved for whole table olives of the Peranzana variety, turning colour, in acidic-saline brine.

When released for consumption, ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ must have the following characteristics:

—	shape: ovoid with rounded apex and base;

—	size: 16 mm minimum;

—	No of olives/kg: not more than 400;

—	colour: turning colour, with shades ranging from violet to brown;

—	flesh to stone ratio: not less than 3;

—	flesh yield: minimum 75 %;

—	clean and complete detachment of the flesh from the stone: easily detached, with soft flesh close to the stone;

—	sensory analysis: a clear aroma of olive and grass, fresh herbaceous taste, slightly bitter with a perfect balance of hints of toast, acidity/milkiness, artichoke and unripe tomato;

—	total polyphenol content: min 300 mg/100 g of the edible part.

Any defects in the drupes and epicarp with changes in the flesh, wrinkling, presence of stalks, and damage due to cryptogams and/or insects are tolerated up to a maximum of 1 % of the finished product.

The presence of olives of other varieties when released for consumption is tolerated up to a maximum of 1 % of the finished product.

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)

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

All production stages for ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ must be carried out within the identified geographical area.

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

The only containers authorised for the packaging and sale of ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ whole table olives in brine are: glass jars, with a minimum drained weight of 100 g; plastic buckets, with a minimum drained weight of 100 g; tins, with a minimum drained weight of 180 g; plastic drums (HD polyethylene) with a minimum drained weight of 20 kg (for transporting olives from the processors to the packagers and not intended for final consumption). ‘Olive Alta Daunia’ to be used for subsequent processing or preparations may be packed without a limit on the net weight. Olives in these packages cannot be sold to the final consumer and must therefore be identified by the words ‘Denominazione d’Origine Protetta “Oliva Alta Daunia” prodotto destinato a successive trasformazioni o preparazioni’ [Protected Designation of Origin ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ olives intended for further processing or preparations].

The packaging stage involves replacing the fermentation brine with a maturing brine having defined characteristics. ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ PDO must be packaged in the production area in accordance with traceability procedures in order to avoid the risk of mixing them with olives of different origins.

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

The label must contain the following, in clear, legible print: the ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ PDO; the name, business name and address of the producer and packager; the EU graphic symbol identifying PDO products; the ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ PDO logo; a compulsory indication of the ‘Peranzana’ variety below the logo, with a font size no greater than that used for the name ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’.

When labelling, presenting and advertising ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’:

—	it is forbidden to add any product description that is not expressly provided for;

—	the use of indications referring to names, business names or private trademarks is permitted provided that they are not such as to mislead the consumer or highlight characteristics that the product must in any case have as they are required by the product specification;

—	other truthful and verifiable references, including an illustration of the history of the product and/or business, which are permitted by the legislation in force and which do not conflict with the aims and content of this product specification may be used;

—	the simultaneous use of names of agricultural holdings and their geographical location is permitted only if the product has been produced exclusively from olives harvested in the cultivated olive groves of the agricultural holding concerned;

—	the use of collective or certification marks adopted or authorised by official bodies is permitted, as long as it is not contrary to the purposes and content of this product specification;

—	the name ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ must be kept in Italian, but translations into the languages of the countries in which the product is sold may be added.

5.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The area in which ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ PDO is grown and produced comprises the entire administrative territory of the municipalities of San Paolo di Civitate, Apricena, Torremaggiore, San Severo and Lucera in the province of Foggia (Apulia). The geographical area is in the north of the province, above the provincial capital, Foggia, between the westerly slopes of the Daunia mountains and the east face of the Gargano promontory, whereas lower Daunia is south of Foggia (Southern Daunia).

6.   Link with the geographical area

The link between the municipalities in the demarcated area and the reference to ‘Alta Daunia’ lies in a broad definition which coincides with the traditional historical and geographical subdivision of Daunia. This is an area which extends from the river Fortore in the north to the river Ofanto in the south, comprising the entire province of Foggia. The name ‘Daunia’ is in fact still used today to refer to the province. The area in question is in the north of the province of Foggia (the name of the provincial capital, centrally located with respect to the province as a whole). It lies between the western slopes of the Daunia mountains and the eastern face of the Gargano promontory, whereas lower Daunia is located south of Foggia (Southern Daunia).

The production area of ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ is devoted to table-olive growing based exclusively on the cultivation of the Peranzana variety, one historically and deeply linked with the area’s social fabric; for centuries cultivation has shaped the development of the area and the lives of its people, as well as playing a significant role in the area’s economy.

The many ‘specificities’ of ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ are determined, first and foremost, by climatic and environmental factors. The temperate (semi-arid) climate of the area in which the ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ PDO olives grow best meets the agronomic needs of the cultivar, as it is characterised by hot and dry summers, mild, generally frost-free and rainy winters, a historical average annual temperature of 15,6 °C (15,5–15,9 °C), average total annual rainfall of 548,4 mm (511,2–604,6 mm), a total annual evapotranspiration of 1 053,0 mm (1 018,8–1 103,9 mm), and a hydroclimatic deficit of 619,9 mm (588,5–678,6 mm). The coldest month is January with an average historical temperature of 7,4 °C (7,0–7,7 °C) and a minimum historical average of 4,1 °C (3,9–4,3 °C), while the warmest month is July with an average historical temperature of 24,9 °C (24,5–25,3 °C) and a maximum historical average of 30,6 °C (30,2–31,0 °C). The soils in the area are vertisol and alluvial, deep and fertile, formed to a large extent from mainly sandy rock (sandstone and sands) and loose deposits with a predominantly pelitic and/or sandy component, and to a very small extent from predominantly ruditic rocks (gravel and conglomerates). They are sandy-loam soils, not particularly rich in organic matter and with a high sand content. These soil characteristics allow the roots to penetrate deeply, avoiding standing water, which is extremely damaging to olive trees due to root suffocation. The centuries-old ‘vaso sanseverese’ training system, not used in any other olive-growing region in the world, is an absolute specificity of the area covered by ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’. The soil and climate together are an indispensable unique factor linked to the municipalities of Alta Daunia, where Peranzana is grown for table olives. This variety is perfectly suited to the conditions of the growing area, outside which it is not widespread.

The genetic characteristics of the cultivar, combined with the environmental conditions – ‘environment/genotype’ – also favour a unique phenotypic expression: in addition to the drupe’s morphological characteristics, the ‘sensory complexity’ of the notable levels of polyphenols such as verbascoside, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol – the values of which have been confirmed by scientific research by the Universities of Foggia and Perugia – is encouraged by the agronomic conditions of the deep soils and the fresh and stable microclimate, which causes the olives to ripen progressively and gradually, especially in November and December.

Another causal link is the cultivation technique through the harvesting period, which determines the drupes’ degree of ripening and helps to highlight their typical characteristics such as sensory profile and commercial category.

‘Human factors’ are decisive in the choice of cultivation technique and in processing and extracting maximum value from the olive, all of which are exclusive in determining the aforementioned distinctive characteristics of the olive which cannot be found in other regional and national production areas.

The product/organoleptic characteristics of ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ whole table olives in brine form a perfect sensory balance, characterised by a clear aroma of olive and grass, a fresh herbaceous taste, slightly bitter with hints of toast, acidity/milkiness, artichoke and unripe tomato, due to the presence of polyphenols and tocopherols. The flesh is soft and juicy, and detaches cleanly and completely from the stone.

The traditional ‘greco al naturale’ processing method used for olives turning colour in brine therefore makes a clear contribution to the typical characteristics of ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’, which is characterised by a natural fermentation process in salt that can take up to 12 months, depending on the agro-environmental variables. This method, which has been passed down for generations among local operators, is carried out exclusively in the defined area and allows lactic fermentation to start naturally with the development of micro-organisms and yeasts which, thanks to a salt concentration of between 6 % and 10 %, favour the chemical, physical and enzymatic reactions responsible for the production of a complex aromatic bouquet with various kind of volatile compounds (organic acids, esters and ethers, etc.).

It is clear that the main selling point of ‘Oliva Alta Daunia’ is its release for consumption when its colour is turning (owing to its degree of ripening), characterised by shades ranging from violet to brown, which are not a product defect but a characteristic result of the olives being processed in pure brine without artificial dyes and additives, which guarantees a typical clean and genuine product.

The natural and environmental factors of the geographical area, which fully reflect its agronomic suitability and the production method, have a profound effect on the quality of the table olives, which is unique compared to other varieties, and its distinctive characteristics that cannot be reproduced.

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

https://www.masaf.gov.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

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(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).