Germany: Beelitz Asparagus receives' Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)

The European Commission added Beelitzer Asparagus to the list of protected European products last Thursday. The popular white and green asparagus cultivated around the city of Beelitz in the state of Brandenburg can thus bear the EU seal "Protected Geographical Indications (PGI)".

This label guarantees the quality of a high-end agricultural product and provides protection against misuse and imitation of the product name. That enables better marketing. At the same time it should inform the consumer about the specific characteristics of the product.

The seal stands for the close connection of a product with the region of origin: at least one of the production stages -production, processing or production- must be done in the region of origin.

Good growing conditions due to the sandy soil and the continental climate favor the cultivation of this product, that is characterized by a balanced taste without excessive bitterness. The "Beelitz asparagus" have a long tradition, which was founded by master glazier and farmer Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Herrmann, who planted the first asparagus in the Beelitz fields in 1861. The first "Beelitz asparagus" were sold in large quantities starting in 1870. Since then, asparagus has developed into the most important vegetable in Brandenburg.

Source: European Commission