"Brač olive oil" has received the European protected designation of origin, the European Commission announced. This is the name of the product "Brac olive oil" entered in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications and protected throughout the European Union.
Olive oil from the island of Brac is already there received numerous accolades at various events, and olive growing is closely related to the tourist and gastronomic offer of the island of Brac.
The procedure for the protection of the name "Bračko olive oil" began in August 2018, when the Agricultural Cooperative Supetar submitted a request to the Ministry of Agriculture to protect the designation of origin.
It is about extra virgin olive oil obtained directly from the olive fruit exclusively by mechanical means, whereby indigenous olive variety Oblica it must be represented in a minimum share of 80%. All the positive and specific characteristics of Brač olive oil are equally influenced by the olive variety, specific geological and climatic conditions and the skill of Brač olive growers in olive growing and fruit processing into olive oil.
A tradition of 2.000 years
Production of Brač olive oil allowed only in the area of the island of Brac. Olives have been present on the island of Brač since ancient times and as such have become part of the tradition and way of life in which it has always occupied a special place. As historically the most important agricultural crop for the island of Brac olive became its synonym, and Brač became synonymous with its most important olive variety Oblica, which is called Bračka in the World Catalog of Olive Varieties.
Numerous historical sources testify to the tradition of olive growing in this area. The first written traces of olive growing can be found in the records of the Roman travel writer Strabo from the first century BC, and the Edict of the Emperor Diocletian from the third century AD, which mentions the cultivation of olives, is also significant.
The historical reputation of Brač olive oil has been maintained to this day thanks to continuous production since the 16th century and constant improvement of agro-technical procedures and technology of processing olives into oil, which throughout history and today has resulted in numerous awards for the quality of this oil.
Brač olive oil is the 33rd Croatian product with a protected name in the EU
The Republic of Croatia now has 33 agricultural and food products whose name is registered in the European Union as protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication. In addition to the currently registered name "Bračko olive oil", so far registered product names are:
- Krk prosciutto
- Extra virgin olive oil Cres
- Neretva mandarin
- Ogulin sauerkraut / Ogulin sauerkraut
- Baranja kulen
- Lika potatoes
- Istrian prosciutto / Istrian prosciutto
- Drniš prosciutto
- Dalmatian smoked ham
- Poljički soparnik / Poljički zeljanik / Poljički olejnjak
- Zagorje turkey
- Krk olive oil
- Korcula olive oil
- Pag lamb
- Solta olive oil
- Varaždin cabbage
- Slavonian kulen / Slavonski kulin
- Međimurje meat 'from Tiblica
- Slavonian honey
- Lika lamb
- Research
- Pag salt
- Zagorje mills
- Pag cheese
- Bjelovar kvargl
- Brač varenik
- Varaždin klipič
- Mali Ston oyster
- Mining rake
- Dalmatian pechenitsa
- Dalmatian bacon
- Personal squealer
Source: Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Croatia
Photos: Pixabay
