The registration application, processed by the Canary Islands Government's Department of Agriculture through the Canarian Institute of Agri-food Quality (ICCA), has successfully completed its first stage. Now, the Directorate-General for Food of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) is tasked with forwarding the file to the European Commission.
The European Commission will have a maximum of six months to review the documentation. If the application is approved, it will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), initiating a new three-month public information and opposition period. The final attainment of the Protected Origin Indication will depend on the absence of any objections during this final stage.
This initiative, promoted by the Agroagaete Association and the Agaete City Council, aims to bestow prestige and differentiation upon this unique product of the island. Antonio Márquez, an expert on Agaete Valley coffee and former manager of Finca Los Castaños, highlights the increasing appreciation for specialty coffee and the high demand in the current market.
Márquez believes that obtaining the PGI would be a "very important step" for the project initiated in the early 2000s, when efforts began to promote local coffee production under the slogan "the only place in Europe where coffee is grown." However, he feels the processing is "somewhat late," suggesting that more benefit could have been gained a decade ago, although he acknowledges that European legislation was not as prepared then.
The PGI proposal covers green coffee beans, roasted coffee, and ground coffee, all derived from seeds of the species Coffea arabica L., variety Typica. The cultivation takes place at altitudes between 150 and 550 meters above sea level, under ideal climatic and thermal conditions to enhance its qualities and maximize its flavor.
Agaete Valley coffee would join other Canary Island products with PGI status, such as Canary Island bananas, Canary Island ancient potatoes, Canary Island gofio, Majorero cheese, and Palmero cheese. Expected benefits include protection of the name, recognition of farmers' work, increased commercial value, and guaranteed origin.
The mayor of Agaete, María del Carmen Rosario, welcomed the news, calling it "a wish of all the residents of the municipality of Agaete." She emphasized the importance of "a tribute to those farmers who have believed in our coffee" over the past 24 years of collaboration between the City Council and the Agroagaete Association.
It is anticipated that obtaining the PGI will boost the market position of Agaete Valley coffee and highlight its geographical origin.
