Could boxty be the next champagne? Calls for special status for potato pancake
Potato Cakes. Vegetable fritters, latkes, hash browns. Vegetable pancakes
Calls to give special European status to Boxty, a traditional Irish potato pancake that originated in Ireland 300 years ago, have been intensified.
The plea is directed to the European Commission by artisan producers in the north-west with Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine backing.
Artisan producers in the north-west have been campaigning for over a decade to secure Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for the product.
Boxty is made with a mix of cooked mashed potato, raw shredded potato, flour, and buttermilk.
An old Irish rhyme, "Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan; if you can't make boxty, you'll never get a man,” earned it a place in Irish folklore.
The product is still popular in parts of Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Mayo, Longford and Fermanagh.
An update on the application to the European Commission was sought in the Dail by Sligo-Leitrim Independent Marian Markin, who said there is a huge level of frustration among the producers over the delay.
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said PGI would greatly enhance the capacity of boxty to grow in popularity and be understood and developed in new markets internationally.
He said the Department expects to shortly publish the application as part of the national opposition procedure required under the relevant EU regulation.
This opposition procedure, which is like a public consultation, will allow anyone having a legitimate interest or an established resident in Ireland to make a submission to the Department about the application.
Stressing that PGI can work to support products, he said he wants to see that happen for boxty as well.
“I will certainly make sure that publication happens promptly. It has reached the stage where the preparatory work has been completed and facilitated and is taking that next important step,” he said.
The Minister said he understood the Deputy's frustration and assured her he would keep ensuring every priority is given to the issue.
There had been a lot of engagement with the applicant group and a lot of work on revised drafts of the application types over time.
“We need to get this to the next stage so it can get moving. We have made good progress in recent years, and we have taken a great step forward with PGI status for Irish grass-fed beef, which has great potential.
Deputy Harkin said she would take the Minister’s bone fides when he stated that the final hurdle was approaching the final hurdle in respect of the application.
Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny said people in Leitrim had grown up with boxty since they were schoolchildren. There was boxty dumpling, boxty loaf and pan boxty.
In many parts of the country, they have not even heard of it, but it is a staple diet for many people in that part of the world. It is a tremendous and healthy product.
“Finding this PGI status for it and pushing it forward is something that should certainly be done with haste,” he said, urging the Minister to outline the time frame of the next step to be taken regarding the application. Minister McConalogue said Cavan, Leitrim, and Sligo are the geographical areas for boxty production in the context of the PGI application.
It has great potential particularly in terms of its health and nutrition benefits in the current context where people are looking for products that are not as processed and which have good benefits.
After the national opposition procedure has been published and completed, an assessment of the results of any oppositions received will be checked by the Department.
Following on from that, an application will be made to the European Commission which will carry out its scrutiny and may consult the Department on matters arising.
If the Commission is satisfied the regulation requirements have been met, it will publish the application for a third-country member state opposition procedure outside of the country for members to contribute.
If, after that process, any matters arising have been addressed, the Commission may proceed then to register the name "boxty" with a PGI.
Minister McConalogue said the final approval from the point of application for the grass-fed beef PGI was probably eighteen months to two years.
It was about that scale of time. It is hard to be precise about it, but those are the steps that must be taken, he said.
PGI identifies a product whose quality, reputation or other characteristics are linked to its origins.
Clare Island Salmon, Imokilly Regato, Timoleague Brown Pudding, Connemara Hill Lamb, Waterford Blaa, Oriel Sea Salt, Oriel Sea Minerals, Sneem Black Pudding, Irish Grass Fed Beef, Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream and Irish Poitín already have that protection status.
