Publication of the amended single document following the approval of a minor amendment pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

(2019/C 434/11)

The European Commission has approved this minor amendment in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).

The application for approval of this minor amendment can be consulted in the Commission’s DOOR database.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘POMME DE TERRE DE L’ÎLE DE RÉ’

EU No: PDO-FR-0065-AM04 – 4.6.2019

PDO (X) PGI ()

1.   Name(s)

‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’

2.   Member State or third country

France

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

The ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ is an early potato under 70 mm in size.

Potatoes qualifying for the protected designation of origin ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ come from edible potato varieties (Alcmaria, Starlette, Carrera and Primabelle) and edible varieties with firm flesh (Amandine, Charlotte, Celtiane and Léontine).

They are characterised by their melt-in-the-mouth texture and specific aromas that may have vegetable overtones. Their dry matter content on the day they are lifted is between 15 and 20,5 % for the Alcmaria, Starlette, Carrera and Primabelle varieties and between 16 and 21 % for the Amandine, Charlotte, Celtiane and Léontine varieties.

Harvested before they are completely mature, their skin is fine and comes off easily merely by scrubbing.

They are seasonal produce that can only be sold up to 31 July inclusive of the year of the harvest, and they are not suitable for long-term storage.

The ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ is a fresh vegetable that must be marketed quickly after lifting.

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

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

All the steps, from germination to harvesting, take place in the geographical area.

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

Packaging takes place in the geographical area, in distribution packaging not exceeding 25 kg. The methods of packaging must ensure that the batches and their origin can be identified, thereby helping to ensure that the potatoes are traceable.

As the ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ is a product that is only marketed fresh, it must be packaged quickly after lifting.

As the potatoes are harvested before they are fully mature, they are also fragile. It is therefore necessary to avoid any blows that could lead to a change in the skin, such as bruises and browning. Accordingly, producers must take particular care, when harvesting, sorting and packaging the potatoes, to preserve their characteristics.

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

In addition to the mandatory information required by regulations on the marketing of potatoes, the labelling of potatoes having the protected designation of origin ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ must bear the name of the designation in full as well as the words ‘Protected Designation of Origin’ or the abbreviation ‘PDO’. These details must all be in the same visual field and on the same label.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area corresponds to the territory of Île de Ré, composed of the following municipalities: Ars-en-Ré, La Couarde-sur-Mer, Loix, Les Portes-en-Ré, Saint-Clément-des-Baleines, Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré, La Flotte, Rivedoux-Plage, Sainte-Marie-de-Ré and Saint-Martin-de-Ré.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ is a potato whose early ripening, small size and specific organoleptic characteristics are linked to the island’s temperate, sunny and windy local climate.

Local production techniques (selection of parcels with light, permeable soils, early planting, high planting density, etc.) aim to reinforce its qualities as an early potato, thanks to which it has been appreciated by consumers since the beginning of the 20th century.

Specificity of the geographical area

The geographical area of the ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ designation of origin corresponds to the 10 municipalities of Île de Ré in the department of Charente-Maritime. Île de Ré is located in the Atlantic Ocean, 3 kilometres off the French coast. It faces the municipality of La Rochelle.

In terms of geological origin, Île de Ré forms part of the northern edge of the Aquitaine Basin. It was created from various sedimentary deposits of coral reef and later of Jurassic argillaceous limestone. This sedimentation dating from the secondary era formed the limestone base of Île de Ré, which during the quaternary era was covered by argillaceous and eolian deposits.

These different sedimentation phases resulted in a lowland landscape with rather even contours, where the highest point does not exceed 20 metres.

The most common soil types on the island are calcosol or calcisol on calcareous bedrock.

The demarcated areas reserved for the production of potatoes generally feature coastal soils of the brown calcareous or calcic type covered in sand as well as soils with eolian deposits and a fine, sandy texture. These soils are light, dry and permeable. They are rich in potassium and phosphoric acid and generally poor in humus.

Another specificity of Île de Ré is that it provides the producers with a source of natural fertiliser: kelp. This organic compost made of marine algae harvested on the beaches of the island used to be the only organic compost material on the island and is still used today by some producers. The advantage of kelp is that it decomposes more rapidly than cow dung, for example.

The island has a temperate oceanic climate. The temperate quality is more marked than on the continental coastline, because there is more sunshine and less rainfall, and temperatures are milder. The reason for these differences is that the effects of the ocean are stronger on the island than on the continent.

The climate is characterised by plenty of sunshine, totalling about 2,300 hours a year, combined with much light, and by rainfall of less than 700 millimetres a year and an average annual temperature close to 13 °C. It rains principally in autumn and winter, and snow and frost are infrequent. In addition, Île de Ré is exposed to very strong hot winds.

The cultivation methods applied aim to reinforce the early nature of the ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’. In particular, they include:

—	setting a planting deadline in order to ensure early harvesting of the ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’, which must have been completed by 31 July.

—	a high planting density and close rows;

—	if haulm stripping is carried out, it must be done mechanically only, so as to avoid altering the soil, which contributes to the product’s organoleptic characteristics.

Specificity of the product

The ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ is an early potato.

Its early maturity and small or medium size, which is less than 70 mm, gives it special organoleptic qualities: a melt-in-the-mouth flesh, aromas after cooking that vary according to the season, ranging from vegetal to dry fruit, and flavours that are almost always sweet, occasionally with slightly salty overtones.

Causal link

The climatic and soil factors of Île de Ré, combined with the producers’ cultivation methods, are at the origin of the special organoleptic characteristics and qualities of the ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’.

The early maturity of the ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ is due to the land and local know-how. The light, dry and permeable soils, mild temperatures and plentiful sunshine, together with the use of sheeting, allow the soil to warm up rapidly. The gain in maturity can be seen in germinators, when lifting the seed potatoes, and up until harvesting.

Another reason for the quality of the ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ is its maximum size of 70 mm, which contributes to its organoleptic qualities. Potatoes of this size are obtained thanks to naturally regulated rainfall combined with a generally high planting density on the island. The good drying capacity of the soils, the mild temperatures, the heat and the strong winds that aid evapotranspiration also play a part in limiting the size of the potatoes. High planting densities provide protection against the strong winds on the island.

In other words, the typical features of the ‘Pomme de terre de l’île de Ré’ result from the ideal climate and soil conditions of the island, which are further enhanced by well-adapted cultivation methods and a judicious selection of varieties.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-2a12de02-d2b3-4097-8aed-21d853db026d

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(1)  OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.