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

2009/C 157/08

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘FARINE DE BLÉ NOIR DE BRETAGNE’ OR ‘FARINE DE BLÉ NOIR DE BRETAGNE — GWINIZH DU BREIZH’

EC No: FR-PGI-005-0555-26.09.2006

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Name:

‘Farine de blé noir de Bretagne’ or ‘Farine de blé noir de Bretagne — Gwinizh du Breizh’

2.   Member State or third country:

France

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 product is a flour obtained by grinding seeds of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), a plant traditionally grown in Brittany.

The variety used is silvery black la Harpe and/or Tetra Harpe.

The flour colour must be 75 or higher, colour being measured on a scale of 0 to 100 (the lower the L value, the stronger the colour of the flour). ‘Farine de blé noir de Bretagne’ has a strong colour.

The acidity of the flour must have a pH of more than 6.

The moisture level of the stored finished product must be kept at 14,5 % or less.

‘Farine de blé noir de Bretagne’ has a characteristic more fragrant aroma and a strong flavour.

3.3.   Raw ingredients:

—

3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only):

—

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

Cultivation, drying, sorting, storing and processing of the buckwheat must be performed within the geographical area of the PGI.

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

‘Farine de blé noir de Bretagne’ may be sold either loose or packaged in 0,5 to 25 kg bags.

3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling:

Product sold under the name ‘Farine de blé noir de Bretagne’ or ‘Farine de blé noir de Bretagne — Gwinizh du Breizh’

The words ‘Protected Geographical Indication’ and/or the Community logo will appear on the packaging.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area:

The geographical area defined for ‘farine de blé noir de Bretagne’ corresponds to historic Brittany, i.e. the departments of Côtes d’Armor (372 municipalities), Finistère (283 municipalities), Ille et Vilaine (352 municipalities), Morbihan (261 municipalities) and Loire Atlantique (221 municipalities), as well as the districts of Pouancé and Candé (Maine et Loire) and Saint-Aignan sur Roë (Mayenne).

5.   Link with the geographical area:

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:

Brittany has an ideal climate for growing buckwheat, water being an important requirement. The typical features of the oceanic climate are perfect during the growing period: limited range of temperatures and low risk of frost in May.

The shortage of water at the start of the summer is offset by an even spread of rainfall over the year. This helps the buckwheat plant get off to a good start at the time of sowing.

This is an annual plant with a very short growth cycle (sowing in May-June, harvesting in September-October) that is suited to temperate climates.

The geological and hydrographic features are favourable for growing buckwheat. Buckwheat particularly likes the slightly acid soil that is typical of the defined geographical area concerned. The subsoil, which is derived from acid rock (granite, schist and sandstone), is fairly shallow and has a low water reserve. Throughout the growth period, the moisture level must be high in order to allow rapid emergence and good fertilisation (July and August).

The pH of the soils used to grow buckwheat must not exceed 6.5.

5.2.   Specificity of the product:

Flour colour: all the work carried out on ‘farine de blé noir de Bretagne’ shows that it has a stronger colour than flour produced from other French or imported buckwheat seeds. This is explained by the difference in the thickness of the buckwheat seeds from Brittany (between 0,10 and 0,15 mm) and those from elsewhere (between 0,15 and 0,23 mm).

Breton buckwheat seed yields are lower on account of the fact that the seeds are smaller than in other production areas.

As a result of all those factors, products made from ‘farine de blé noir de Bretagne’ have a stronger colour and a typical buckwheat aroma.

This product forms the basis of the diet of the population in the area since ‘farine de blé noir de Bretagne’ was intended to be eaten in crêpes (thin, generally sweet pancakes) and galettes (thicker, mainly savoury pancakes).

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)

Know-how for producing Breton buckwheat

The tradition of producing buckwheat and the farming practices involved have been known for a long time. Buckwheat has been grown in the geographical area since the 14th century. It was developed as a first crop on newly drained marshland or cleared land.

The cultivation technique consisting in creating a false seed bed, coupled with the absence of inputs, establish buckwheat intended for the production of ‘farine de blé noir de Bretagne’ as a specific product.

The plant does not require heavy tillage work to be carried out. Breton farmers in fact developed the false seed-bed technique by working the soil as for normal sowing. This technique has the advantage of encouraging weed germination and subsequently preparing the seed-bed, thus eliminating the use of weedkillers. This stands in sharp contrast to winter and spring cereals, which entail major preparatory work.

Buckwheat is a suitable crop for the often poor soil in the geographical area concerned. The plant does not absorb much nitrogen and requires little fertilisation. It was regarded as a main rotation crop and economic source of production.

Tradition of processing buckwheat into flour

The peasantry in Brittany produced Breton buckwheat primarily for their own use.

The tradition of processing buckwheat seed into flour dates from the 15th century. The number of mills processing buckwheat seed into flour has always been substantial in Brittany. There are still 30 at the present time.

The flour is obtained by the traditional method. After cleaning, the seeds are ground using a cylinder or stone mill.

Reputation of the product

The reputation of the product is associated mainly with traditional Breton cookery. The tradition of using it in crêpes and galettes goes back many centuries. In Brittany there is a genuine know-how for making buckwheat crêpes and galettes that has been passed down from generation to generation. Food customs in this area date from time immemorial. People gathered to eat buckwheat crêpes once a week, taking along their own butter, eggs and jam, and regularly ate galette-saucisse (thick pancake wrapped around a sausage). All peasants had a galetière or billig (pancake griddle) which was placed over a wood fire to cook the batter. This tradition has grown into a significant economic sector exporting throughout the world.

Reference to publication of the specification:

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

http://www.inao.gouv.fr/repository/editeur/pdf/IGP2008/cdchFarinedeBleNoirdeBretagnesept2008.pdf