Publication of an application for registration of a name 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

(2021/C 463/20)

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) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

’Zagorski bagremov med’

EU No: PDO-HR-02612 – 1 June 2020

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

’Zagorski bagremov med’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Republic of Croatia

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.    Type of product

Class 1.4 Other products of animal origin (eggs, honey, various dairy products except butter, etc.)

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

3.2.1.   Definition of the product

‘Zagorski bagremov med’ is produced from the nectar of acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), as the predominant plant species, and from concomitant melliferous plants from the Hrvatsko Zagorje region. The region’s specific geomorphological and climatic conditions influenced the emergence of the concomitant plant species, which, together with the main plant species, affect the botanical origin of the honey. The product is placed on the market in the form of extracted honey, comb honey, or extracted honey with cut comb.

3.2.2.   Pollen characteristics

In addition to the pollen of acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), pollen of the following nectar plant species may also be present in the pollen spectrum of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’: common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus), European loranth (Loranthus europaeus), plants of the composite family (Asteraceae), maple (Acer spp.), red clover (Trifolium pratense), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), plants of the crucifer family (Brassicaceae), fruit species (Prunus spp.), plants of the dandelion-type composite family (Asteraceae: Taraxacum type), plants of the umbellifer family (Apiaceae), mustards (Sinapis spp.), lime (Tilia spp.), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), knapweed (Centaurea spp.), and the pollen of other plant species in smaller proportions. Pollen of the following non-nectar plant species may also be present in the pollen spectrum: ash (Fraxinus spp.), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata), plants of the grass family (Poaceae), plantain (Plantago spp.), meadow-sweet (Filipendula spp.), sedge (Carex spp.), oak (Quercus spp.) and poppy (Papaver spp.).

When the pollen content of non-nectar plant species in ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ is deducted from the total amount of pollen, more than 27 % must be acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) pollen.

3.2.3.   Organoleptic characteristics

‘Zagorski bagremov med’ has the following organoleptic characteristics:

Appearance

Colour: very light, ranging from near-colourless, through light- to straw-yellow, depending how unifloral the honey sample is.

Clearness: extremely clear.

Crystallisation: it remains in a liquid state for a long time, rarely crystallising.

Odour

Not intense, and may have a discernible odour of acacia flower and fresh wax, depending how unifloral the honey sample is.

Taste

Medium to very sweet, with low acidity.

Flavour

Short- to medium-lasting flavour of vanilla, acacia flower, virgin honeycomb and fresh butter.

3.2.4.   Physical-chemical parameters

Water content: not more than 18,0 %.

Electrical conductivity: not more than 0,25 mS/cm.

Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content: not more than 15 mg/kg of honey.

3.3.    Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

It is forbidden to feed bee colonies while the bees are pasturing.

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

All steps in the production of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ (pasturing and extraction) must take place in the geographical area defined in point 4.

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

To ensure the quality and traceability of the product, ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ must be packaged in the defined geographical area. During transport, unsuitable (high) temperatures may alter the physico-chemical parameters and organoleptic characteristics of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’, or may cause the honey to take on undesirable extraneous odours or attract moisture from the air. For that reason, hermetic lids are used for packaging the honey, and the use of metal lids is recommended.

For packaging the honey, packages of different sizes are used, depending on market conditions, and a corresponding record is kept.

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

Before being placed on the market, all packaging must bear the special ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ logo, which must be larger than the other inscriptions on the packaging. The graphic representation of the logo consists of a black background, with the text ZAGORSKI BAGREMOV MED in the middle, the words ‘zagorski’ and ‘med’ in white and the word ‘bagremov’ in yellow. To the left of the text are three stylised white bees of various sizes (Figure 1).

Figure 1 The ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ logo

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area of production of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ comprises the Hrvatsko Zagorje region, more specifically: Krapina-Zagorje County in its entirety; the western part of Varaždin County, which includes the towns and municipalities of Bednja, Lepoglava, Ivanec, Novi Marof, Breznički Hum and Breznica; and the edge of Zagreb County bordering Krapina-Zagorje and Varaždin Counties, which includes the municipalities of Brdovec, Marija Gorica, Pušća, Dubravica, Luka, Jakovlje, Bistra and Bedenica and the settlements of Kupljenovo, Bregovljana, Hruševec Kupljenski and Pojatno.

5.   Link with the geographical area

Specificity of the geographical area

Natural vegetation and extensive agriculture characterise most of the Hrvatsko Zagorje region, which has little intensive agricultural production or industry. The geographical area defined in point 4 therefore offers optimal conditions for the development of beekeeping.

The specificity of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ is largely determined by topographical and climatic factors and the floral resources of the defined geographical area.

The defined geographical area has a humid continental-type climate. Winter is relatively mild, summer moderately warm, autumn slightly warmer than spring, and the mean values of both transitional seasons exceed the mean annual temperature. Late autumn and winter are often warmer and sunnier on the hills than on the plains. The valleys frequently experience frost, which the hills are spared. Hrvatsko Zagorje has a continental precipitation pattern, with frequent, heavy rain in May, June and July, i.e. during the vegetation period. November sees another peak in precipitation, while February and March see the least precipitation. Annual precipitation is around 1 000 mm. Winds are modified by the hilly terrain. Westerly winds are the most frequent, lasting for 45 % of the year, followed by easterly winds, which last for 29 % of the year, while around 6 % of the year is wind-free. The maximum wind strength ranges from force 6 to force 9, the strongest winds occurring from late autumn to early spring (Crkvenčić et al, 1974b, in: Geografija SR Hrvatske [Geography of the Socialist Republic of Croatia], pp. 69-81).

One specific and recognisable feature of Hrvatsko Zagorje is its multitude of hills, which spare the acacia stands any late-spring frost. The hilly terrain also allows the acacia to flower – and the bees to pasture – for longer, since the acacia flowers first in protected lower-lying areas before flowering at higher altitudes. While bees pasture on acacia for an average of around 10-12 days on the plains of Croatia, in the defined geographical area the configuration of the land extends this to 20 days (Šimić, 1980, in: Naše medonosno bilje [Our Melliferous Plants], pp. 84 and 85).

The climate conditions of the defined geographical area greatly influence the secretion of nectar. According to Farkas and Zajacz (2007) (Nectar Production for the Hungarian Honey Industry, p. 134), the optimal conditions for the secretion of acacia nectar are no wind, warm nights (around 15 °C) with sufficient morning dew, and moderately warm days with a daytime temperature of 25 °C. Approximate values as regards air temperature were confirmed in a study by Krušelj conducted over a three-year period during the flowering of acacia in Krapina-Zagorje County (2012 PhD dissertation Utjecaj vremenskih i proizvodnih uvjeta na kakvoću bagremova meda s područja Krapinsko-zagorske županije [Influence of Weather and Production Conditions on the Quality of Acacia Honey from Krapina-Zagorje County], pp. 66, 77 and 81).

The specificity of the defined geographical area is also reflected in its floral resources, i.e. the presence of acacia stands, most of which occur in groups or are mixed with other tree species. As a highly reproductive plant, acacia spreads easily, rapidly occupying moist, fertile soil, and can act as a pioneer species.

The defined geographical area has a centuries-old tradition of beekeeping, which was one of the main agricultural activities on the manors and estates of Zagorje. Honey and wax were some of the most sought-after products on the market. That is why, as early as 1626, the Croatian Parliament (Petrić, 2011, in: Samobor i okolica u ranom novom vijeku [Samobor and Environs during the Early Modern Period], pp. 309-310 and F. Šišić, 1918, in: Podatci o skladištima meda [Data on Honey Warehouses], Croatian Parliamentary Records, pp. 458, 465) decreed that honey could be exported only from the towns of Krapina, Varaždin and Samobor (Mudrinjak, 2017, in: Hrvatska pčela [The Croatian Honey Bee], pp. 203-205). The honey exported from Croatia had to be weighed, and 2 Kreuzer were paid for each 100 kg of honey weighed.

Specificity of the product

The presence of pollen grains from the plant species present in the production area makes it possible to determine both the geographical and the botanical origin of the honey. According to the results of pollen analyses of numerous studies, the minimum 20 % acacia pollen grains required to declare a honey variety unifloral rises to 27 % for ‘Zagorski bagremov med’. The decidedly unifloral character of this honey is reflected in its physico-chemical properties (electrical conductivity) and the expressiveness of its organoleptic characteristics, highlighting its specificity and distinctiveness compared with samples of the same type of honey from other regions. Moreover, even after years of evaluating acacia honey from the defined geographical area, monitoring of the botanical origin of its samples has shown no trace of pollen from oilseed rape. This highlights the region’s specificity compared with most other parts of Croatia where acacia honey can be produced.

Causal link between the specificity of the geographical area and the specificity of the product

The topographical and climatic factors and the floral resources of the defined geographical area for the production of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ determine its specificity. The configuration of the land (hilly terrain) of Hrvatsko Zagorje influences the duration of flowering of the acacia and, therefore, the pasturing of the bees, which it extends to 20 days. At the same time, due to the properties of the soil (heavier, acidic soils), the small, fragmented parcels of land, and the difficulty implementing agricultural techniques, there is no tradition of growing oilseed rape, which makes the defined geographical area specifically suited to the production of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ compared with other parts of Croatia where acacia honey is produced in areas planted with oilseed rape and it is impossible to avoid the presence of the nectar (and, therefore, pollen) of oilseed rape.

The specificity of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ is based on the long-established tradition of beekeeping, so that the link with the defined geographical area is also reflected in historical, traditional and cultural elements.

One of the main historical links with the production of honey and wax in Hrvatsko Zagorje is the production of liticar [a sweet honey dough biscuit, like gingerbread] and candles. The gingerbread craft arrived in this region at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries through trade routes as part of the Styrian Liticar Makers’ Guild, and it remains here to this day. The gingerbread craft in Hrvatsko Zagorje was recognised and entered on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.

The high quality of production of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ is the product of the skills acquired by beekeepers from Hrvatsko Zagorje in contemporary technological approaches to rearing bee colonies and in the preparation of the honey for the market. These beekeepers pay particular attention to finding the best locations for both stationary and nomadic apiaries, and to timely extraction, which is a prerequisite for the production of quality honey.

For the past 16 years, Krapina-Zagorje County and the Federation of Beekeeping Associations of Krapina-Zagorje County have organised an event promoting the quality of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ and beekeepers from Zagorje, at which honey from Krapina-Zagorje County is showcased and judged.

As proof of the specificity of ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ compared with acacia honey from other parts of Croatia, an acacia honey sample of one beekeeper from Konjščina in Hrvatsko Zagorje was declared the best in the world at the Apimedica and Apiquality Forum held in Ljubljana in 2010. In addition to this success, ‘Zagorski bagremov med’ from the defined geographical area has continuously ranked high at honey-judging events held in Croatia and nearby Slovenia for many years now.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

https://poljoprivreda.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti/hrana/zoi-zozp-zts/dokumenti-zoi-zozp-zts/Specifikacija_proizvoda_Zagorski_bagremov_med.pdf

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.