The Spanish Association of Denominations of Origin (Origen España) has reached the milestone of 100 members following the adhesion of the Protected Designations of Origin (DOP) Oliva de Mallorca and Aceite de Mallorca.
Founded in 2008 with only three founding members, the entity has experienced constant progress since then, as detailed in an informative note. Its president, Ángel Pacheco, has emphasized that it is an "honor" to bring together a hundred DOs and Geographical Indications (IG) focused on the promotion and dissemination of differentiated quality products, closely linked to their territory.
By reaching a hundred members, Origen España consolidates itself as one of the great ambassadors of the national pantry, made up of a wide variety of foods protected by the quality seals DOP and IG.
For Pacheco, the Mallorcan IGs represent "great examples of the defense of a model of artisanal production, which is the result of centuries of tradition and the environmental conditions of the landscape" in which their activity takes place.
Among the goals of Origen España are to strengthen the recognition of the role that these products play in sustainable development and to promote a "better and more effective protection" of Spanish DOPs and IGPs in the agri-food sector.
The DOP Aceite de Mallorca and the recovery of a key sector
The DOP Aceite de Mallorca has been focused on the protection and projection of this oil for nearly 25 years. It was incorporated into the official register of Designations of Origin of the European Union in 2002, with the aim of safeguarding the oil-producing tradition of the island.
The production of oil has been "fundamental" for the economy of Mallorca. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, it constituted an industrial activity that employed thousands of people during the winter months and served as a basis for other derivative products, such as soap.
During the 20th century, the marketing of Mallorcan oil lost weight, but following the recognition of the DOP, there has been a recovery in the production of olive oil on the island.
Currently, the DOP Aceite de Mallorca covers more than 3,600 hectares and about 500,000 olive trees. The seal involves 11 oil mills, 19 bottling companies, and around 800 olive growers. The great challenge for the sector now is to ensure its economic viability.
The president of the DOP Aceite de Mallorca, Joan Mayol, has highlighted that the balance of recent years is "positive" and that the quality certification has favored the recovery of plantations, in addition to promoting innovation in the production processes, which "has allowed the opening of important markets abroad."
Mayol has also demanded a "fair" remuneration for work in the field and the production of olives, since "only in this way can a tradition of generations be maintained and the agricultural and environmental heritage preserved."
Among the challenges that the DOP intends to address together with Origen España is the defense of the interests of professionals dedicated to olive cultivation.
In this regard, Pacheco has insisted on the relevance of "having a support network that connects the DOs with the competent authorities and educates consumers" about the meaning of the DOP and IGP labels.
The DOP Oliva de Mallorca and the protection of the landscape
In 2014, the European Commission registered the DOP Oliva de Mallorca in the official registry of Denominations of Origin. Since then, this figure certifies the origin and quality of the olives obtained from Mallorcan variety olive trees.
The president of the DOP Oliva de Mallorca, Andreu Oliver, has considered that the recognition for table olives has been "the most important step" to ensure the continuity of this product, mostly cultivated in the Serra de Tramuntana.
The Mallorcan olive is produced on mountain terraces, where all agricultural work is done manually, as heavy machinery cannot be used due to the terrain's orography.
The establishment of the DOP has contributed to guaranteeing the profitability of this production system and, at the same time, to preserving the characteristic landscape of Mallorca.
Oliver has pointed out that the olives develop on "centenary and even millenary trees" and that they are harvested using traditional techniques. In this way, he has emphasized that the product "is only presented to the consumer made using ancient recipes."
"By tasting it, one is savoring a product identical to that which our grandparents consumed, and whose production has allowed the survival of the native landscape and the prevention of fires resulting from the abandonment of farms," he added.
The DOP Oliva de Mallorca, which has about 70,000 olive trees and 500 hectares, has integrated into Origen España. In this regard, Pacheco has argued that the next goal for the Mallorcan olives is "to spread them throughout the rest of the country and internationally."