Publication of an application 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

(2015/C 145/11)

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).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘LIČKI KRUMPIR’

EU No: HR-PGI-0005-01242 – 10.07.2014

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1.   Name (names)

2.   Member State or Third Country

Republic of Croatia

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Product type

Class 1.6 Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

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

‘Lički krumpir’ [Lika potatoes] are tubers intended for the market for human consumption. The tuber has a minimum diameter of 35 mm. The shape of the tuber is oblong-oval.

For the production of ‘Lički krumpir’, seed potato of the Desiree, Bintje or Victoria varieties — or varieties with similar characteristics — are used, which have a dry matter content of at least 19 %.

Organoleptic characteristics of the ‘Lički krumpir’ tuber:

Appearance of the tuber: smooth to rough peel, the skin is yellow to brown or reddish in colour;

Colour of the tuber flesh: bright white to yellow;

Texture of the tuber flesh: fine, small-grained;

Taste of the tuber: a floury taste, i.e. friable or dry, due to the high percentage of dry matter (high starch content), as it tends to overboil. When eaten, the fullness of the flavour becomes apparent in the mouth.

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 identified geographical area

The stages in the production of ‘Lički krumpir’ that must take place in the defined geographical area referred to in point 4 are: the planting, earthing and extraction of the potato tuber.

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

Before packaging, ‘Lički krumpir’ is sorted by size or bulkiness, which must be at least 35 mm, and is cleaned of soil particles using a brush. To ensure the tuber retains its traditional appearance, it is not rinsed with water.

‘Lički krumpir’ is packaged using the following types of packaging only: jute, linen, mesh or paper bags, or packaging made from those materials. ‘Lički krumpir’ is also placed on the market without any packaging, as that is how it was traditionally sold on the market.

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

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4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The area in which ‘Lički krumpir’ is grown is the geographical area of Lika. Lika is a continental region in south-western Croatia, bound by high mountain ranges (the Velebit range to the south and west, Mount Plješevica to the east and the Kapela range to the north).

This natural setting contains numerous karst plains (or ‘polje’), i.e. Lipovo polje, Koreničko polje, Bijelo polje, Krbavsko polje, Lapačko polje, Dabarsko polje, Krasno polje, Vrhovinsko polje, Turanjsko polje, Homoljacko polje, Podlapačko polje, Krbavsko polje, Kosinjsko polje, Mazinsko polje, Gubavčevo polje, Bruvnopolje and Rudopolje, Greater and Lesser Popinsko polje, Brezovačko polje, Srb-Suvajsko polje, Kosničko polje and Poljice, Brinjsko polje, Stajničko polje, Vodotečko polje and Križpolje, Gostovo polje, Ličko-jaseničko polje and Potpolje, Saborsko polje, Ličko polje and Gacko polje. The biggest are Ličko and Gacko polje.

The area of Lika in which the abovementioned karst plains are located covers two administrative regions: mainly Lika-Senj County and, to a lesser extent, Zadar County. It encompasses all municipalities and towns of Lika-Senj County, except the town of Novalja and the municipality of Gračac in Zadar County. The area in which ‘Lički krumpir’ is grown includes all places that are more than 400 m above sea level, i.e. the following towns: Gospić, Otočac and Senj, as well as the municipalities of Brinje, Vrhovine, Plitvička jezera, Perušić, Udbina, Lovinac, Gračac, Donji Lapac and Karlobag.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The protection of the product ‘Lički krumpir’ is based on its quality, which stems from the specific characteristics of the production area, and on its reputation.

In the geographical area referred to in point 4, the climate affects the quality of ‘Lički krumpir’, making it distinctive and setting it apart from potatoes produced in other regions. The geographical area of Lika has a mountain climate with a relatively short vegetation period. In these plateaus and plains, the average temperature in January hovers around – 2 °C, and during the first 5 months of the year the minimum temperature falls below 0 °C. The average July temperature in the plateaus is 18 °C, which falls as altitude increases.

The lower mean daily winter and summer temperatures favour the growth of ‘Lički krumpir’ by enabling intensive photosynthesis, the end result of which is sugar synthesis. In the Lika region the sugars accumulated are used up less in the breathing process and are translocated instead to the potato tuber, in which they accumulate in the form of polysaccharide starch, forming the bulk of the tuber’s dry matter. This is in contrast to low-lying regions, where high daytime and night-time temperatures prevail and plants breathe faster under the higher temperatures, using up the synthesised sugars, which accumulate in the tuber in lower quantities.

As significant forms of karst topography, karst plains were formed by tectonic movements and dissipation, followed by deposits of materials (during the Pleistocene) which created the plains. In that respect, the karst plains belong to the accumulative tectonic-type landforms. This relief affects the development of the favourable structure of the soil, with sandy and sandy-loam soil rich in organic matter predominating, which is well-suited to growing ‘Lički krumpir’. It also affects the microclimate, which is a key factor in the quality of the product.

The inhabitants of Lika have taken advantage of the favourable natural conditions and have a long tradition of growing ‘Lički krumpir’ in the area. The potato was brought to the Military Frontier region, to which Lika belonged, from other parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1760 (Vinko Mandekić, Krumpir [The Potato], Zagreb 1923, p. 7). Due to the specificity of the geographical area of Lika (its mountain climate and soil), bread cereals failed to thrive, so in the 18th century, at the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, efforts were made to expand potato production. The agro-climatic and pedological conditions were conducive to the spread of potato-growing in the Lika region (the production area for ‘Lički krumpir’). These same conditions had a negative impact on the production of bread cereals, so that the potato would largely replace bread as the staple diet.

Thanks to the role and importance played by ‘Lički krumpir’ in the diet of Lika’s inhabitants varieties that became ‘domesticated’ to produce ‘Lički krumpir’ in Lika were also characterised by a higher percentage (minimum 19 %) of dry matter. On account of the region’s specific climate, this dry matter content is all the more pronounced, lending ‘Lički krumpir’ its distinctly starchy taste and its fullness.

Scientific research has confirmed that potatoes of these varieties grown using the same technique in Lika (Brinje) have a ‘higher’ percentage of dry matter (on average 23,5-24,3 %) compared with the same varieties of potato grown in Međimurje County (Belica, Slovinska Kovačica), where they have a lower percentage of dry matter (on average 21,1-21,4 %). Test results have shown that the variety grown in Brinje (Lika) contains much more dry matter, which is the influence of the climate factors prevailing in the production area of ‘Lički krumpir’ and lends it its distinctive character compared with the same variety grown in Belica (Međimurje County — Croatia’s main potato-growing region). The high dry matter content gives ‘Lički krumpir’ its starchy taste and its fullness (scientific research by M. Poljak et al, Grafikon 4 and 5, 2001).

Evidence of the renown and reputation of ‘Lički krumpir’ can also be found in newspaper articles (Ličke novine [Lika County Gazette], State Archive, Gospić, 1953 and 1955). These articles refer to the tradition of growing ‘Lički krumpir’ in the Lika region owing to the favourable climate conditions prevailing in the geographical area, the specific quality of ‘Lički krumpir’ that prevents it from crumbling while cooking, and the high starch content.

‘Lički krumpir’ has acquired a considerable reputation among consumers, as evidenced by a consumer survey that found that 93 % of respondents had heard of the name ‘Lički krumpir’, while 74 % were prepared to pay more for ‘Lički krumpir’. The findings of the survey also reveal that consumers know that as the main production area of ‘Lički krumpir’, the Lika region affects the specific quality of ‘Lički krumpir’ (extract from the survey, Miroslav Božić ‘Marketing Strategy and Quality Labels in Traditional Food Industry’, 2009-2010).

In addition to natural factors such as climate conditions, which are influenced by altitude, resulting in the accumulation of large quantities of dry matter in ‘Lički krumpir’, and on account of which the potato grown in this geographical area is more distinctive than those of other regions, the link which ‘Lički krumpir’ maintains with the geographical area of Lika stems from the reputation bestowed by ‘Lički krumpir’ on the Lika region. This is evidenced by the culinary work Vodič Hrvatske gastro ikone [Guide to Croatian Culinary Icons], which lists ‘Lički krumpir’ as one of the ‘culinary icons’ of the Lika region. The author’s intention was to document the diversity of Croatian cuisine by compiling a list of culinary icons, which points clearly to the reputation ‘Lički krumpir’ bestows on the region from which it hails (Vodič Hrvatske gastro ikone, 2007).

This reputation, which we seek to preserve by registering ‘Lički krumpir’, came to the fore at the beginning of this century, when culinary cultural events that live on to this day began to be held in the Lika region. One such event is the annual ‘Lički Krumpir Day’, at which the product is on offer to visitors (Culinary event ‘Lički Krumpir Day’, 2014). ‘Lički krumpir’ is also part of the Lika region’s cultural heritage, which can be seen in the fact that it is celebrated in numerous folk songs (Annex, Nikola Matijević, Lički Grudobran [Lika Parapet], Zagreb, 1940, p. 62).

Reference to publication of the product specification

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

http://www.mps.hr/UserDocsImages/HRANA/LICKI%20KRUMPIR/Izmijenjena%20Specifikacija%20proizvoda.pdf

(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.