Registration Opens for Elche's Mollar Pomegranate PDO

The Regulatory Council of Elche's Mollar Pomegranate has opened the registration period for its Protected Designation of Origin for farmers in L'Alacantí, Baix Vinalopó, and Vega Baja. Producers of this fruit can now register their plots to obtain the quality seal.

The process is aimed at both renewals from previous years, who must update their data, and those wishing to register for the first time. In these latter cases, applicants must detail the number and age of the pomegranate trees, the production area in hectares, the type of irrigation, and the Geographic Information System of Agricultural Plots, among other details.

Registration can be completed either online or in person. Online processing will be done through the form available on the PDO's website, while the form can also be downloaded from the site and the required documentation sent via email to calidad@granadaselche.com.

Alternatively, farmers opting for in-person registration must schedule an appointment by calling 633 111 228 in the mornings to arrange a day for personalized attention at the Regulatory Council's headquarters, located on the Elche to Dolores road Km1 – OCAPA Offices.

Registration will remain open until September 30, while in October, new plots may be added as long as the production is still in the field and requested by the PDO's commercial companies.

Additionally, farmers wishing to benefit from agricultural insurance discounts for differentiated quality crops must register with the PDO before the end of April, as this discount only applies if the registration coincides with or precedes the insurance contract.

Sylvia Queijas, the quality director of the designation, emphasized the importance of being registered to "protect this pomegranate variety against unfair competition and fraud." Queijas stated that the seal "guarantees product quality and ensures its differentiation from other market varieties," insisting that the seal "acts as recognition of the historical value, tradition, and culture linked to the cultivation, highlighting the effort and dedication of those who work the land."

The quality director noted that "to sell the production with the seal, the crops must be registered," and detailed that Elche's Mollar Pomegranate is the "only one in the world with this distinction."