Following this publication, the authorities of a Member State or of a third country, or a natural or legal person having a legitimate interest and established or resident in a third country, may lodge, in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) an opposition with the Commission within 3 months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

’ Aguacate de Canarias '

EU No: PGI-ES-02936 – 8.5.2023

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

’ Aguacate de Canarias '

2.   Member State

Spain

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 the product to which the name in (1) applies

The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ covers avocados (Persea americana Mill) grown in the Canary Islands archipelago to be eaten fresh after preparation and packaging.

The avocado varieties covered by this geographical indication are: Hass, Fuerte, Orotava, Pinkerton, Reed and Carmen.

a)   Physical characteristics

The Hass variety has an oval shape. Its skin is rough, dark green in colour and can take on purple tones when ripe. The skin separates easily from the flesh, which is yellow with a creamy texture. Minimum weight 123 grams and maximum weight 400 grams.

The Fuerte variety is pear-shaped and has smooth, fine skin that is a light green matt colour, darkening as it ripens. The skin yields to gentle pressure when the avocado is ready to eat. Its flesh is greenish yellow, with a smooth and creamy texture. Minimum weight 170 grams and maximum weight 500 grams.

The Orotava variety is spherical, with very rough hard purple skin that turns black as it ripens. Its flesh is greenish yellow with a smooth texture. Minimum weight 123 grams and maximum weight 350 grams.

The Pinkerton variety has an elongated pear shape, slightly rough skin that is green in colour even when it is ripe. The skin separates very easily from the pale green flesh, which has a creamy texture. Minimum weight 170 grams and maximum weight 500 grams.

The Reed variety is spherical, with slightly rough, thick skin that is green in colour and loses its intensity as it ripens. Its skin separates easily from the flesh, which is pale green in colour and has a creamy texture. Minimum weight 170 grams and maximum weight 600 grams.

The Carmen variety is oval with rough skin that separates easily from the flesh. It has a dark green colour that may turn to purple as it ripens. It looks very similar to the Hass variety. Its flesh is yellow and has a creamy texture. Minimum weight 123 grams and maximum weight 400 grams.

b)   Chemical characteristics

They are determined by the dry matter content of the flesh and its fat content at the time of harvesting.

b.1)

The avocado flesh must have the following minimum and maximum percentages of dry matter: — minimum 23 % and maximum 35 % for the Hass variety; — minimum 22 % and maximum 35 % for the other varieties.

b.2)

The avocado flesh must have the following minimum and maximum percentages of fat content: — minimum 11 % and maximum 24 % for the Hass variety; — minimum 10 % and maximum 24 % for the other varieties.

c)   Organoleptic characteristics

Flesh that is rich, smooth and creamy to the touch and the palate, colour ranging from yellow to green through greenish yellow, depending on the variety in question. The taste is slightly grassy with pronounced nutty notes.

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

‘Aguacate de Canarias’ must be grown, harvested and classified within the geographical area defined by the Protected Geographical Indication.

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

Avocados covered by the ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ PGI may be ripened and packaged outside the defined geographical area.

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

The labelling for packaged avocados must prominently feature the name and specific logo for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Aguacate de Canarias’, as well as the information that is generally required under the applicable legislation. That label must be affixed before the product is put into circulation in such a way as to render reuse impossible.

The logo is as described below, with the corresponding Pantone colours:

Colours:

green (Pantone 349)

orange (Pantone 2012)

greenish-yellow (Pantone 396)

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area of production of avocados covered by the ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ PGI is the archipelago of the Canary Islands, situated at a latitude between 27° 37 ′ and 29° 25 ′ N and a longitude between 13° 20 ′ and 18° 10 ′ W.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The Protected Geographical Indication ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ is based on the reputation of the name, due to the characteristics conferred on it by the climate of the Canary Islands archipelago and its cultivation on soils of volcanic origin.

The climate of the islands, characterised by their subtropical character and the influence of the trade winds, is characterised by moderate and practically constant temperatures, with no great temperature swings. This results in slow ripening, due to the long time the fruit stays on the trees. This makes it possible to achieve a high fat and dry matter content which gives the avocados their distinctive organoleptic and physico-chemical characteristics. The dry matter content and the fat content are closely interlinked.

Furthermore, the Canary Islands’ volcanic soils, which are highly permeable, provide excellent drainage and therefore ideal conditions for growing avocados. The specific characteristics described have also led to the development of specific varieties typical of the Canary Islands, such as the ‘Orotava’ variety obtained in the ‘Jardín de Aclimatación de La Orotava’ botanical garden in the municipality of the Puerto de La Cruz on the island of Tenerife.

It is also interesting to note that many (though not all) avocados in the Canary Islands are cultivated using the traditional practice of using organic padding (made up of crop residues, manure, compost, and pine needles or ‘pinocha’ from the Canary Islands) that farmers place in the soil and around the avocado tree. The padding acts as a carbon sink. This cultivation practice strengthens microbial life and increases soil biodiversity. At the same time it promotes environmental responsibility and local resource management.

From the end of the 1960s, a greater area of the Canaries was turned to growing avocados, which were exported to take advantage of the tourism boom in Tenerife and transporting them in the holds of the aircraft flying the tourists back home. The importance and renown of the ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ is such that the information sheets on the avocado that the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture published in 1969 referred only to avocados from the Canaries, describing the varieties and the importance of this crop which, at that time, was almost exclusive to the Canary Islands.

With respect to the reputation this product currently enjoys at local level on the Canary Islands archipelago and beyond, note that the municipality of Mogán on Gran Canaria has for years held a mango and avocado festival celebrating the importance of these crops in the Canaries. Tenerife also holds an ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ fair to celebrate the importance of this product. These popular fairs showcase the different varieties with culinary demonstrations and show cooking, since the avocado is part of the Canary Islands’ identity. In addition to the local fairs dedicated specifically to the avocado, ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ is also showcased at national fairs such as Fruit Attraction and international fairs such as Fruit Logistica in Berlin. The Madrid Fusión fair is another gastronomic event featuring the ‘Aguacate de Canarias’. At the January 2020 edition of this fair, the island council of Tenerife (Cabildo de Tenerife) paid homage to all of Tenerife’s Michelin-starred chefs. One of the dishes presented by one of these chefs as an exponent of Canarian cuisine was avocado with avocado honey.

The importance and reputation of ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ is well known in gastronomic culture. ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ features in recipes published in magazines and even in dishes on the menu of the most prestigious restaurants. The famous chef Albert Adriá (three Michelin stars) referred to the ‘Aguacate de Canarias’as a spectacular avocado on his tour of the islands for the travelling chef programme ‘El chef viajero’, as reported in the newspaper La Vanguardia of 31 October 2018. Similarly, in the March 2020 Guía Repsol Spanish tourist guide, Canarian chef Isidro Alvarez provides recipes for dishes with avocado, including desserts, developed using ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ in his restaurant in the Canary Islands. It is worth noting the references made by the prestigious chef Dabiz Muñoz (three Michelin stars) to the ‘super flavour’ of the ‘Aguacate de Canarias’, its creaminess and nutty flavour, in statements made and published in the newspaper Canarias Ahora of 2 May 2022. An article published in the magazine España Fascinante on 3 September 2023 explains why ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ is perfect for recipes and suggests dishes whose main ingredient is the avocado. Canarian recipe books often feature dishes showcasing avocados, because as stated earlier, the avocado is part of Canarian identity. Below are references to some of these recipe books that include dishes with ‘Aguacate de Canarias’, with the author, title, publisher, year of publication and the corresponding ISBN:

—	TORRES, Manuel. Title: El aguacate: 33 recetas de cocina (‘Avocado: 33 recipes’). Publisher: Caja Insular de Ahorros de Canarias (Canary Island Savings Bank). Year of publication: 1986. ISBN 84- 505-4344-4.

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QUINTERO Montesdeoca, Rogelio/Rodríguez Dios Pedro: Title: La cocina de Canarias, la evolución (‘The evolution of Canarian cuisine’). Publisher: Roger Méndez Fotógrafo. First edition published in 2004, ISBN 978-84-609-2227-8. This book received the Gourmand Cook Book award for ‘Best regional cookbook 2004’.

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DE ARMAS, Roberto/Quintero Rogelio/Almeida Francisco. Title: Canaritapas (‘Canarian tapas’). Publisher: Maillard innovación y comercialización (‘Maillard innovation and marketing’). ISBN 9788461409358. Year of publication: 2011. Gourmand Cook Book acclaimed this book the best cookbook in Spain and the second-best cookbook in the world.

—	VENTURA Caceres, Rosa María. Title: Receteando la cocina canaria,100 recetas con sabor isleño. (‘Canarian cuisine. 100 recipes with the flavour of the islands.’) Publisher: Círculo Rojo SL. First edition published in 2021, ISBN 978-84-1115-593-9.

—	GAMONAL Carlos/Verdés Padrón Jordi. Sabores Canarios (‘Canarian flavours’). Publisher: Publicaciones Turquesa, S.L. Year of the first edition: 2021. ISBN: 978-84- 16785-83-4.

—	MORENO Méndez, Blanca. El libro de los Mojos de Canarias (‘The book of Canarian mojo sauces’). Year of publication: 2023. ISBN: 978-84-92648-97-9. One of the most well-known sauces of the Canary Islands - ‘el mojo’ - has a variant with ‘Aguacate de Canarias’.

At the May 2022 ‘Aguacate de Canarias’, in collaboration with the Government of the Canary Islands, the Tenerife council launched an e-book entitled Recetas con aguacate de Canarias (‘Recipes with Canarian avocado’) for gourmet dishes developed by prestigious chefs from the Canaries. The star ingredient in each of the dishes featured in this publication is ‘Aguacate de Canarias’. In view of the above, we can conclude that the ‘Aguacate de Canarias’ enjoys an undisputed renown due to the characteristics conferred on it by the natural environment and the proven experience in growing it. This has made it not only a part of the cuisine typical of the Canary Islands but also a product recognised and valued by prestigious chefs and gastronomic specialists within and beyond the Canary Islands.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/cmsgob2/export/sites/agpsa/icca/galerias/doc/calidad/aguacate/comision/PLIEGO-CONDICIONES-2M.pdf

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(1)  Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11.4.2024 on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, as well as traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms for agricultural products, amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2019/787 and (EU) 2019/1753 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (OJ L, 2024/1143, 23.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1143/oj).