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C 122/46

EN

Official Journal of the European Union
17.3.2022

Also, size is another of its particularities, since harvesting the pepper early ensures that its flesh is delicate, that the skin is not noticeable to the eater, and that it has a pleasant taste.
This pepper is known for its extraordinary taste and great quality and is usually eaten fried as a snack, garnish or starter. It is one of the most typical items in Basque cuisine.
5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product for PDO or a given quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product for PGI
The link between the defined geographical area and Pimiento de Gernika / Gernikako Piperra is based on its reputation and growing practices dating back to antiquity, which is borne out by aspects such as the peppers great popularity among consumers in the Basque Country and its market value.
Pimiento de Gernika / Gernikako Piperra is one of the oldest plants known in the Basque Country and its seeds and the secrets of its cultivation have been passed from generation to generation for centuries and form part of Bizkaias history.
Great food critics from the Basque Country and the rest of Spain Llona Larrauri, Busca Isusi, J.L. Iturrieta, J.J. Lapitz, José Castillo, Marquesa de Parebere or Ignacio Domenech have praised this product in their articles or have included it in some of their recipes. World-famous Basque chefs such as Arguiñano or Subijana use this product in their recipes too.
The Cofradía del Gernikako Piperra was founded in 1998 with the sole aim of raising awareness of the Pimiento de Gernika / Gernikako Piperra. This association organises various promotional activities for Pimiento de Gernika, including, in particular, tastings at the traditional market in Gernika. The pepper takes its name from this town because it was traditionally the area where it was most grown. The famous fruit and vegetable market where the pepper is one of the main attractions is held there every Monday.
The last Monday of Gernika is the largest agricultural fair in the Basque Country. It attracts more than 100 000
visitors and is held on the last Monday of October. The founding charter of the town of Gernika from 1366 contains references to this fair.
The products fame was also confirmed by a study carried out by the market research company IKERFEL on products of recognised quality, which was drawn up using a quantitative methodology based on 900 interviews that were held between 16 and 30 July 2009 with those responsible for household shopping in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. According to this study, the name Pimiento de Gernika / Gernikako Piperra is recognised spontaneous + suggested by 83 % of the population of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country.
As already mentioned, in addition to reputation and growing practices, the climate in the defined geographical area is fundamental to the quality and particularity of this product.
The climate in the geographical area combines the temperatures and humidity that this type of pepper needs for its vegetative and reproductive development.
When this pepper is grown in other areas in the south of Spain with a warmer climate and at times when temperatures are high and humidity is low, the marketable quality of the fruits is lessened because a higher proportion of the fruit is affected by the physiological problems described above skin that is too thick, blossom end rot and/or hotter peppers.
The local cultivar is the direct result of the insight and expertise of farmers in the area. It reflects its relationship with the environment and is particularly well adapted to the climatic conditions in the area. Over a long period of time, man has been able to successfully maintain and grow the Pimiento de Gernika variety and retain the particular commercial use which is made of it. This has made it possible to conserve the originality of this type of pepper.
Pimiento de Gernika owes its particularity to the fact that it is perfectly adapted to the production area.
Reference to publication of the specification http www.nasdap.ejgv.euskadi.eus/r50-4633/es/contenidos/informacion/dop_pimiento/es_agripes/dop_pimiento.html