This communication is published in accordance with Article 6b(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).

COMMUNICATING THE APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION ORIGINATING IN A MEMBER STATE

(Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012)

‘Mela di Valtellina’

EU No: PGI-IT-0574-AM02 – 28.12.2023

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name of product

‘Mela di Valtellina’

2.   Member State to which the geographical area belongs

Italy

3.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry

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4.   Description of the approved amendment(s)

Explanation of why the amendment(s) fall under the definition of a standard amendment as provided for in Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

The amendments to the specification and the single document are standard amendments under Article 53 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2021/2117 for the following reasons:

(a)	they do not amend the name of the protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication or the use of that name;

(b)	they are unlikely to void the link referred to in Article 5(1)(b) for protected designations of origin or in Article 5(2)(b) for protected geographical indications;

(c)	they do not involve a traditional speciality guaranteed; or

(d)	they do not entail any further restrictions on the marketing of the product.

1.   Amendment to the storage specifications

Current wording of the first paragraph of Article 5.7 of the specification on storage:

‘Mela di Valtellina’ is stored using normal refrigeration (AC), low oxygen (LO) or ultra-low oxygen (ULO) storage techniques.

Specifically:

—	the rooms where the apples are stored have a temperature of between 0,2 °C and 2 °C, depending on the variety;

—	the O2 level is between 1 % and 3 %;

—	the CO2 level is between 1,2 % and 3 %;

—	relative humidity is between 90 % and 98 %.

New wording:

‘Mela di Valtellina’ must be kept in cold storage in a controlled atmosphere or in facilities suited to preserving the product.

Reason:

The holdings and companies that are part of the Mela di Valtellina PGI control system have well-designed, sufficiently large facilities to ensure preservation of the fruit. Their staff receive technical training to be able to regulate the cooling and humidity conditions as well as the levels of gas inside the storage rooms, ensuring that the fruit can be kept in a perfect condition of health and quality for long periods. The storage facilities present in the area are thus able to ensure that the organoleptic and sensory characteristics required by the product specification are maintained for long periods, thanks to technology, constant innovation and refresher courses for the staff responsible. This ensures that the end consumer is offered the very best quality. In view of this, the technical parameters relating to the conditions of storage have been deleted from the specification. Measuring these parameters during checks placed an additional burden on operators, without there being any clear evidence of their impact on product quality. Cold stores have seen technological developments and can adjust the conditions of the storage environment in real time. Modern facilities are in fact able to auto-regulate the storage parameters to ensure the best possible conditions for preserving the product at all times, which must be ensured from one harvest to the next.

This amendment does not affect the single document.

2.   Amendment to the labelling rules

Article 8 of the product specification and point 3.7 of the single document have been amended as follows: The product logo must appear on the packaging in addition to the EU PGI symbol.

The logo consists of a stylised depiction of a drop, with the outline of mountain peaks at the top, in Pantone Black colour.

Inside the drop there is a pictogram representing an apple and a leaf, drawn in a single graphic line of a golden colour (Pantone 872 C, in hot foil); the words ‘Mela di Valtellina IGP’ [Mela di Valtellina PGI] are printed in white in italic script, with ‘M’, ‘V’ and ‘IGP’ in capital letters, over three lines.

The words ‘Mela di Valtellina IGP’ [Mela di Valtellina PGI] must appear in letters larger than those of any other wording present on the packaging.

Where individual stickers are used, these must be present on at least 50 % of the fruit in the package. The stickers, showing the logo, must be adhesive and no smaller than 2 × 2 cm in size.

Where individual stickers are not used, the fruit must be packaged in closed, sealed packs.

Wordings and/or symbols that refer to names, company names, collective marks or individual trademarks may be used together with the protected geographical indication provided that these elements do not have laudatory purport and are not such as to mislead the purchaser.

This amendment affects the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Mela di Valtellina’

EU No: PGI-IT-0574-AM02 – 28.12.2023

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

‘Mela di Valtellina’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Italy

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product [as in Annex XI]

Class 1.6 – Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed.

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

The following varieties are used for the production of ‘Mela di Valtellina’: ‘Red Delicious’ – ‘Golden Delicious’ – ‘Gala’. When released for consumption, they have the following characteristics: Red Delicious: thick, non-waxy epicarp of a brilliant, intense red colour, with the dominant colour covering more than 80 % of the surface, smooth, with no russeting or greasiness, resistant to handling; oblong truncated cone shape with five lobes and a pentagonal equatorial plane; minimum diameter of 65 mm; minimum sugar content of more than 10 °Brix; flesh: white with apple aroma of medium intensity. Intense honey, jasmine and apricot aromas. Very crunchy and juicy. Dominant sweet flavour with appreciable acidity and aroma of medium intensity. No bitterness. Firmness of the flesh not less than 5 kg/cm2. Golden Delicious are characterised by: non-waxy intense yellow epicarp when ripe, sometimes pink on the part exposed to the sun, sometimes with russeting, susceptible to damage on handling; spherical or oblong truncated cone shape, slightly ribbed on the transverse section; minimum diameter of 65 mm; minimum sugar content of more than 11,5 °Brix; flesh of creamy white colour with intense apple aroma. They have medium firmness, crunchiness and juiciness and almost no hint of mealiness. The fruit is distinguished by its sweetness, although with a significant degree of acidity, a sign of its freshness. Medium intensity apple aroma. No bitterness. Firmness of the flesh not less than 5 kg/cm2. Gala have the following characteristics: brilliant red epicarp, with the red colour covering a minimum of 30 % of the surface in the case of standard Gala and 65 % in that of improved clones; short truncated cone shape, with five, fairly pronounced apical lobes; minimum diameter of 65 mm; minimum sugar content of more than 11° Brix; flesh of creamy white colour with medium intense aroma. Medium firm and very juicy with no mealiness. The flavour is sweet, with little acidity and a pleasant, medium-intense aroma. No bitterness. Firmness of the flesh not less than 5 kg/cm2. Fruit of quality classes ‘Extra’ and ‘I’ are released for consumption.

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

—

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

Production operations must take place within the defined geographical area.

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

‘Mela di Valtellina’ is released for consumption in fruit bins – cardboard trays – telescopic boxes (traypak) – wooden crates – reusable plastic crates – sealed packs containing a number of apples (trays, boxes and bags).

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

The product logo must appear on the packaging in addition to the EU PGI symbol. The logo consists of a stylised depiction of a drop, with the outline of mountain peaks at the top, in Pantone Black colour. Inside the drop there is a pictogram representing an apple and a leaf, drawn in a single graphic line of a golden colour (pantone 872 C, in hot foil); the words ‘Mela di Valtellina IGP’ [Mela di Valtellina PGI] are printed in white in italic script, with ‘M’, ‘V’ and ‘IGP’ in capital letters, over three lines. The words ‘Mela di Valtellina IGP’ [Mela di Valtellina PGI] must appear in letters larger than those of any other wording present on the packaging. Where individual stickers are used, these must be present on at least 50 % of the fruit in the package. The stickers, showing the logo, must be adhesive and no smaller than 2 × 2 cm in size. Where individual stickers are not used, the fruit must be packaged in closed, sealed packs. Wordings and/or symbols that refer to names, company names, collective marks or individual trademarks may be used together with the protected geographical indication provided that these elements do not have laudatory purport and are not such as to mislead the purchaser.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The ‘Mela di Valtellina’ production area comprises the following municipalities of the Province of Sondrio: Albosaggia, Andalo Valtellino, Ardenno, Berbenno di Valtellina, Bianzone, Buglio in Monte, Caiolo, Castello dell’Acqua, Castione Andevenno, Cedrasco, Cercino, Chiavenna, Chiuro, Cino, Civo, Colorina, Cosio Valtellino, Dazio, Delebio, Dubino, Faedo Valtellino, Forcola, Fusine, Gordona, Grosio, Grosotto, Lovero, Mantello, Mazzo di Valtellina, Mese, Mello, Montagna in Valtellina, Morbegno, Novate Mezzola, Piateda, Piantedo, Piuro, Poggiridenti, Ponte in Valtellina, Postalesio, Prata Camportaccio, Rogolo, Samolaco, San Giacomo Filippo, Sernio, Sondalo, Sondrio, Spriana, Talamona, Teglio, Tirano, Torre di Santa Maria, Tovo di Sant’Agata, Traona, Tresivio, Verceia, Vervio, Villa di Chiavenna and Villa di Tirano.

5.   Link with the geographical area

What makes the area in which ‘Mela di Valtellina’ is grown special is the favourable exposure of the Valtellina Valley. The valley runs east to west and is protected to the north by the Rhaetian Alps and to the south by the Orobian Pre-Alps. It therefore enjoys a very mild climate and is ventilated by the Foehn, a hot, dry wind that causes temperatures to soar and atmospheric humidity to plummet. The valley climbs from 200 m to 900 m above sea level, meaning that orchards are well exposed to light and well ventilated. The orchards are mainly located in permeable alluvial cones with a high concentration of rocks and stones, where there is virtually no water stagnation and soils are subacidic or acidic. Organoleptic analysis has shown the characteristics shared by the three varieties of ‘Mela di Valtellina’ to be their firm, compact, crunchy and aromatic flesh. Specifically: — the flesh of the Gala variety is fairly compact and very juicy with no mealiness. The flavour is sweet, with little acidity and no bitterness and a medium intense aroma; — Golden Delicious exhibits medium firmness, crunchiness and juiciness, with no mealiness. The flavour is sweet and the aroma intense; — Red Delicious has an intense aroma with notes of honey, jasmine and apricot. The flesh is very firm, crunchy and juicy; the aroma is of medium intensity. Other characteristics are the very intense colour of the fruit and its very attractive elongated shape, features that are intensified by the amount of sunlight received as a result of the valley’s exposure described in point 4. The reputation of ‘Mela di Valtellina’ goes back to the period after the Second World War and has grown over the years, thanks to the efforts of the various agricultural cooperatives that, in cooperation with university institutes specialising in apple growing, have consolidated apple growing in the Valtellina Valley. The ‘Second National Conference on Mountain Fruit Cultivation’ took place in Ponte in Valtellina as far back as 1968, sponsored by the Società Orticola Italiana (Italian Horticultural Society), followed in 1983 by the ‘Conference on Varietal Selection and the Improvement of Mountain Fruit Cultivation’. Cultivation of the apple tree is based on a number of traditional, consolidated practices. These practices are now used in commercial apple growing, which, as it has developed over the years, has become one of the cornerstones of the valley’s economy, linked to a wide range of other activities such as mechanisation, irrigation works, the supply of technical equipment, marketing services, packaging and transport. The reputation of apple growing in the Valtellina Valley has also attracted big investments, one example being an irrigation system covering 2 000 ha managed by the Consortio Sponda Soliva. Created in the 1970s, it was financed by loans from the EAGGF. The fruit has enjoyed growing popularity with consumers over the years thanks to the qualities of the production area. The fact that the valley runs east to west, the only Alpine fruit-growing valley to do so, increases the area’s exposure to sunlight, a factor that contributes to giving the fruit’s epicarp the characteristics described in point 3.2. The orography of the area, which permits excellent exposure to sunlight, together with a big difference between day-time and night-time temperatures, loose soils with no water stagnation and a balanced rainfall pattern which means that the epicarp of the fruit is alternately soaked and dried out, provide the most favourable conditions for ripening the apples, giving them firm, crunchy flesh and a more elongated, slightly ribbed shape. The three varieties covered by the geographical indication represent the best of Valtellina apple production. It is these three varieties – Golden Delicious, Red Delicious and Gala – that have gradually proven to be consumers’ and growers’ favourites, since it is these, more than any other, that reflect the characteristics of the area, including those shaped by human factors. The specific nature of the land and the skill of growers, who have retained over the years cultivation techniques that respect and protect the valleys and mountains, and the desire of growers since the 1980s to inform consumers about the quality of their apples by means of explicit indications on packaging, stressing their origin in the Valtellina, have helped give the product a wide consumer base, both in Italy and abroad. This is confirmed by the fact that ‘Mela di Valtellina’ is sold through supermarkets and specialised outlets, where it is considered to be a top-of-the-range product. The average producer price per kilogram increased from 85 lire for Golden Delicious and 80 lire for the Red variety in 1968 to 105 lire and 110 lire respectively in 1974. By 1979, only a few years later, prices had tripled, reaching 330 lire per kilogram for Golden Delicious and 420 lire per kilogram for Red Delicious. In 1987, average prices per kilogram were 680 lire and 830 lire respectively. Since 1996, prices have kept increasing and by 2006 were EUR 0,31 per kilogram for Golden Delicious and EUR 0,37 per kilogram for Red Delicious and Gala. On average, the prices given above for the three varieties were at least 10 % higher than the national average for the same variety.

Reference to publication of the product specification

https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/files/1/7/0/D.234095a309f564b20544/Disciplinare_Mela_di_Valtellina_definitivo_02.10.23_FIRMATO.pdf

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(1)   OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.