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

2011/C 304/12

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 from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘UVA DI PUGLIA’

EC No: IT-PGI-0005-0653-11.10.2007

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Name:

‘Uva di Puglia’

2.   Member State or third country:

Italy

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1.   Type of product:

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies:

The ‘Uva di Puglia’ PGI is restricted to table grapes of varieties Italia b., Victoria b., Regina b., Michele Palieri n. and Red Globe rs., produced in the area identified in point 4 below; the grapes fall into the ‘extra’ and ‘prima’ marketing classes.

When released for consumption, the table grapes must have the following characteristics: whole bunches must weigh not less than 300 grams; the individual grapes must be not less than 21 mm in size in the case of Victoria, 15 mm in the case of Regina and 22 mm in the case of the Italia, Michele Palieri and Red Globe varieties (diameter at the centre); the colour is a clear pale yellow in the case of the Italia, Regina and Vittoria varieties, an intense smooth black in the case of the Michele Palieri variety and ruby red in the case of the Red Globe variety; the grape juice must be not less than 14 °Brix in the case of the Italia, Regina and Red Globe varieties and 13 °Brix in the case of the Victoria and Michele Palieri varieties. The °Brix/total acidity ratio must not be less than 22 for all varieties.

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:

All stages of ‘Uva di Puglia’ cultivation and harvesting must take place within the production area identified in point 4.

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

Each package must be sealed (by means of netting, flow-packing, adhesive stickers on bags and transparent, perforated wrapping). The packages used are: a box of 5 kg net of grapes; the box may be made of cardboard, wood, plywood or plastic; a 2, 2,5 or 3 kg cardboard box net of grapes; baskets weighing 2, 1,5, 1, 0,75 or 0,5 kg net of grapes and made of polypropylene or PET with an outer packing of plastic, wood or cardboard; bags of 0,5 kg or 1 kg net of grapes, made of PET with an outer packing of plastic, wood or cardboard. Packaging has to be done within the area indicated in point 4 so as to ensure that transport or excessive handling does not harm the grapes, thereby affecting their integrity and colour. The table grapes must be packaged in such a way as to protect them properly.

3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling:

In addition to the Community symbol and product logo, each package must be labelled on the same side with the following information in legible, indelible characters, visible from the outside: name and address or identification symbol or code of the packager and grape producer and the relevant indications and information required by law.

The proportions of the logo characters must be strictly complied with, in line with the illustration below.

However, use of the logo to scale is allowed.

The logo to indicate the PGI will be reproduced on a self-adhesive sticker or packaging collar of various diameters.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area:

The ‘Uva di Puglia’ production area includes all the land of the municipalities in the province of Bari, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Brindisi, Foggia, Taranto and Lecce that lies less than 330 metres above sea level.

5.   Link with the geographical area:

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:

The ‘Uva di Puglia’ production area enjoys ideal soil and weather conditions for growing these grapes: medium soils, rich in structure, with a high level of total carbonates and active limestone, rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium. The climate, which is mild even in winter, also benefits from the influence of the Adriatic and the winds off the ‘Murge’ table mountains. The low levels of rainfall during spring and summer, supplemented by deficit irrigation, the high levels of light enjoyed by the area and the moderate winds all meet the needs of the grapevines, which are highly sun-loving. The high specialisation of growers in Apulia — which has been passed down over time and continues to this day — in terms of growing, handling and packaging the grapes, reinforces the quality of the product.

5.2.   Specificity of the product:

The reputation of ‘Uva di Puglia’ is linked to the great success of their production and export; as a result, these grapes are frequently cited in books, studies and magazines. ‘Uva di Puglia’ are the most produced grape in Italy and the most exported abroad. ‘Uva di Puglia’ stand out because of the beauty and uniformity of their bunches, their intense colour and bright skin and the crunchiness of the pips; these characteristics are due to the suitability of the production area and the high specialisation of the growers.

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 reputation of ‘Uva di Puglia’ needs to be seen in its historical and economic context, the first references to which begin at the end of the 19th century. At that time, despite the length of journeys and the perishable nature of the product, both of which were the main factors limiting its export, ‘Uva di Puglia’, keeping better than other grapes, could arrive in perfect condition even on foreign markets, such as Germany's for example. Special mention must be made here of the pioneering work of both Sergio Musci, who in 1869 started sending Apulia table grapes to Milan, Turin and Bologna from Bisceglie (Bari), and Francesco De Villagomez, also from Bisceglie, who in 1880 began sending Apulia table grapes to Germany.

The production of ‘Uva di Puglia’ has progressively increased over the years, as has their export, as figures from the Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE) show; international markets therefore regard them as being typical of the production area. By the 1940s consignments of ‘Uva di Puglia’ from the growing areas amounted to hundreds of railway wagons a day. In 1975 exports of ‘Uva di Puglia’ reached 62,4 % of the production of Italian table grapes destined for foreign markets; that percentage grew to 52,7 % in 1980 and 74,1 % in 1985. It is due to the success of their production and export that ‘Uva di Puglia’ have been repeatedly cited in books, studies and trade magazines. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published a book entitled ‘Table Grapes’ in 1979 (part of the ‘International Standardisation of Fruit and Vegetables’ series), which contained interesting pictures of these grapes. The book contains pictures of boxes full of grapes on which clear references to Apulia can be seen.

This production and export success is also testimony to the perfect interaction between the geographical area's exceptional suitability and the specialisation of the growers, both of which have helped to achieve the highest levels of quality and to garner increasing recognition by consumers at home and abroad. Clear references to the suitability of the area and the high specialisation of the table grape growers date from the beginning of the 20. century. In this context, in 1914 Vivarelli, reporting on the situation in Apulia, pointed out the favourable qualities of the climate and soil, as well as the attitude of the grape growers ‘who have understood that they must not neglect special care cultivation’. Care that is still apparent today through the manner in which the growers perform accurate and careful manual operations on the shoots and bunches, remove leaves and shoots and position the shoots in order to provide them with the right amount of light; all these operations support the development and optimum ripeness of the grapes, thereby ensuring a lower incidence of cryptogamic diseases and better conservability. The historic importance of ‘Uva di Puglia’ is therefore affirmed not only through constantly growing demand on the national and foreign markets, but also through the recognition of operators in other producing regions.

Reference to publication of the specification:

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

The full text of the product specification is available:

at http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

or

by going directly to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (http://www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Qualità e sicurezza’ (in the top right-hand corner of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all'esame dell'UE’.

(1)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.