New Geographical Indication From the United Kingdom
The European Commission has approved the addition of ‘Ayrshire New Potatoes’/‘Ayrshire Earlies’ in the register of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). The newly protected product is planted, grown and harvested in the county of Ayrshire in the South West of Scotland.
Ayrshire has been at the heart of the British potato industry since the cultivation of the crop was first reported in Scotland on a commercial basis in 1793. Due to light sandy soil and early warming by the Gulf Stream, farms in Ayrshire, particularly those along the Ayrshire coast have always been able to plant their potato crop a few weeks earlier than in other parts of Scotland which associates them with the start of the new season.
The ‘Ayrshire New Potatoes/Ayrshire Earlies’ are particularly good for boiling and salads. The new denomination will be added to the list of 1,450 products already protected.
