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

(2008/C 263/05)

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 of the date of this publication.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘KIWI DE L'ADOUR’

EC No: FR-PGI-005-0538-27.03.2006

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1.   Responsible department in the Member State:

2.   Group:

3.   Type of product:

Class 1.6: Fruit, vegetables, cereals, fresh or processed

4.   Specification:

(Summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

4.1.   Name: ‘Kiwi de l'Adour’

4.2.   Description: Produced by a subtropical dioecious perennial (Actinidia deliciosa, ‘Hayward’) growing in the Pays de l'Adour, the kiwi is a plump, firm fruit with excellent organoleptic characteristics. It has a melting, juicy texture when ripe, with bright green, fragrant and slightly acidic flesh. The ‘kiwi de l'Adour’ has a characteristic brown to reddish green skin, covered with silky fine hairs.

After grading, the kiwis are presented in loose packs, layered in trays or in consumer sales.

The kiwis are harvested at 6,5° Brix and shipped when they reach 12° Brix (minimum firmness 1 kg/0,5 cm2). ‘Kiwi de l'Adour’ is a fresh kiwi, classified under EC standards as Extra and I.

4.3.   Geographical area: The geographical area consists of the following cantons:

in the Department of Gers (32):

in the Department of Landes (40):

and the following communes in the Landes cantons:

in the following Department of Pyrénées Atlantiques (64) cantons:

and the following communes in cantons of Department 64:

The kiwis are harvested, packed and stored in the geographical region of the Pays de l'Adour, irrigated by the Adour river and its tributaries.

‘Kiwis de l'Adour’ have a distinctive taste as a result of being picked late from the vine. Picking the fruit late causes an increase in the dry matter content (and sugar content), thus producing a riper, more delicate fruit, especially just after harvesting (stem scarring).

Transporting the fruit in bulk over long distances after harvesting causes variations in temperature that affect the fruit (artificial increase in the sugar content, problems with cold storage). Transportation also produces pressure in box pallets, thereby increasing the risk of crushing and other damage.

Fruit can, however, be transported without risk when ready packed. The scarring stage is finished and the packaging protects the fruit.

4.4.   Proof of origin: Proof of origin of ‘kiwis de l'Adour’ is guaranteed by the identification of the kiwis and by ensuring their traceability from the orchard to the point of sale to the consumer. The fruit are harvested by certified producers and packed at stations approved and accredited by the applicant group. Producers' qualifications are attested and packing stations accredited in accordance with the applicant group's procedures which have been approved by the certification body. Both producers and packers are responsible for identification of the orchards (parcels), batches of kiwis and the actual fruit. All traceability data are recorded to guarantee proof of traceability. ‘Kiwis de l'Adour’ are specifically and clearly identified at the packing stations (colour code, producer and parcel number, bar-code, etc.).

4.5.   Method of production: Only orchards of vines belonging to the species Actinidia deliciosa, ‘Hayward’, are approved. The orchards used for the production of ‘kiwis de l'Adour’ must be more than four years old as kiwis do not achieve the regulatory size standards until that age.

For optimal pollination and to guarantee a quality fruit:

the ratio of female plants to male plants is 300-800 to 100-160 plants per ha,

the required plant density is 2,5-6 m in the row and 4-6 m between rows.

Winter pruning is carried out so as to keep an average across the orchard of 1,2 to 1,4 canes per m2, depending on the distance between trees.

Thinning is the process whereby the number of fruit is reduced: each producer has to adapt the number of fruit on the trees to the potential of his orchard (according to the soil, plot orientation, tree planting, etc.) in order to obtain fruit of the required size and quality. Thinning regulates the amount of fruit that the tree can bear. It is done manually over a period lasting from mid-April to the end of July.

A combination of careful pruning and selective thinning can limit the number of fruit to 35 fruit/m2 (45 fruit/m2 in exceptional cases: medium-size fruit above 85 g). This helps to optimise the quality of the finished product both organoleptically and for keeping purposes.

Summer pruning consists of thinning out the foliage to encourage the development of the fruit and to control the leaf-to-fruit ratio. It also ensures that the fruit are more exposed to the sun. In addition, it is intended to encourage the growth of new fruit canes.

Producing high-quality kiwis also depends on the water supply. Irrigation is compulsory and has to be controlled to avoid blemishing the fruit.

The harvest starts when the fruit reach optimum maturity, i.e. a refractometric index of at least 6,5° Brix. In any event, harvesting does not take place before 25 October.

The fruit are harvested manually, taking all necessary precautions to avoid damage, and are put into baskets with removable bottoms, called picking bags. The harvested fruit are stored for taking to the packing station in box pallets marked with the reference of the orchard (parcel).

The ‘kiwis de l'Adour’ are kept, packed and stored (advised resting time of 24 to 72 hours) in cold storage and/or in a controlled atmosphere. They are then dispatched by the packing stations of the Pays de l'Adour.

Changes in the refractometric index and in the firmness of the fruit are monitored in cold storage to enable progress in ripening to be assessed. The kiwi fruit are marketed once they have ripened in cold storage.

When dispatched, ‘kiwis de l'Adour’ must have a refractometric index of at least 12° Brix and a minimum firmness of 1 kg/0,5 cm2. Dispatch must at any rate take place before 15 June.

4.6.   Link: Production of the ‘kiwi de l'Adour’ was started by Henri Pedelucq who pioneered the experimental introduction of the plant in the Adour basin. He carried out trials of the following plants: Actinidia, tomato tree (tamarillo) and passion fruit. Plants of each species were planted in the spring of 1965 and, the following year, only the ten Actinidia plants had survived the frost. Pedelucq realised immediately that the climate of the Pays de l'Adour was conducive to growing kiwis.

The first harvest of kiwis, destined for Germany in 1972, was a huge success which contributed to the sector's launch. Pedelucq therefore decided that year to put the plants on the market.

The growing of kiwis subsequently spread in piecemeal fashion all over France, but the climate and the soils of the Pays de l'Adour soon singled out the region as the most suitable for the crop.

The most enterprising fruit-growers in the Adour basin followed in Pedelucq's footsteps in the early 1970s.

Following this first wave of plantations while the crop was still at the experimental stage, the area planted to kiwis saw a major expansion leading, in 1978, to the creation of civil society organisations. The farmers of the Adour basin were the next to start this promising new line of production in the years 1985, 1986 and 1987.

The ‘kiwi de l'Adour’ owes its characteristics to the late harvesting of the mature fruit, thereby ensuring optimum development of the kiwi's taste qualities (intake of sugars, minerals, etc. on the vine) and excellent long-keeping in cold storage.

The late harvest is possible owing to a favourable microclimate, soils adapted to kiwi plants and to the expertise of the professionals of the ‘kiwi de l'Adour’ region.

The region enjoys a temperate microclimate: no overly cold winters, few early frosts and no excessive summer heat. Yet the temperatures are low enough in winter to allow a period of vegetative rest, thus having a positive impact on fruiting (development of the plant's natural potential for flowering and fructification).

Kiwi plants also require high levels of humidity. This is assured by the presence of the Pyrenean mountain streams and the proximity of the Atlantic (the Pays de l'Adour has a coastline of approximately 50 km). The wind is seldom strong and less parching, thus providing the orchards with good ventilation and reducing the risk of disease.

The region has a major advantage: the late autumn frost that allows the kiwis to be picked with a higher than normal sugar content at harvesting. Likewise, the spring frosts generally finish earlier in the Pays de l'Adour, which is particularly favourable to kiwi plants as flowering starts in about mid-May.

The characteristic soils of the Adour basin have natural filtering properties, are deep and rich in organic matter, have a coarse texture (aerated), and are non or slightly calcareous (alluvial hill and valley soils). They have good water retention properties which ensure good irrigation of the kiwi plants during fruiting. The presence of humus leads to an abundance of trace elements (iron, zinc, boron) and minerals (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium) in sufficient quantities to produce high-quality fruit. These characteristics contribute in particular to the fruit's organoleptic qualities (firm flesh, juiciness, melting texture, etc.).

The winter pruning, thinning, fertilisation, pollination, summer pruning, summer irrigation, spring-frost protection measures and hand-picking all attest to the know-how acquired by the ‘kiwis de l'Adour’ producers. The kiwi-growers got together at an early stage to organise the storage, packing and sale of their produce by setting up cooperatives and packing stations with state-of-the-art equipment.

Now a whole industry is putting this expertise into the production, keeping and marketing of the ‘kiwi de l'Adour’. The producers have shown their capacity for adaptation by adopting the new fruit and showing the desire to produce quality in relation to the geographical origin. This desire probably stems from the regional trait of regarding gastronomy and the culinary arts as part of the local heritage. Over the years there have been signs that the ‘kiwi de l'Adour’ is attracting growing interest among national and international buyers who recognise its distinctive taste qualities throughout the marketing season.

4.7.   Inspection body:

Qualisud is an EN 45011 approved and accredited certification body.

4.8.   Labelling: Each fruit bears a sticker (except in individual packages) printed with:

the name of the product, ‘KIWI DE L'ADOUR’.

(1)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.