An agricultural cooperative in the extreme southwest of Greece recently registered the well-known “Kalamata” olive variety cultivated in in the region, and named the after the port city of the same name, as a protected designation of origin (PDO) product.
The Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Messinia added the dark brown Kalamata olive variety to the international registry in accordance with the long-winded Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration.
Essentially, growers and wholesalers are seeking to protect the genuine variety which is endemic to the region and a key element of its landscape , from other olives misleadingly dubbed “Kalamata”. The PDO label also extends to the traditional production process which is followed as Kalamata olives make their way from the tree to the table.
