The Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Natural Environment has introduced new regulations to reinforce the control over the Geographical Indication Hierbas Ibicencas.
From now on, processing companies must comply with stricter requirements in the transportation and labeling of liquor, in order to guarantee its authenticity and avoid possible irregularities.
Greater control of product transportation
One of the main changes established in the technical dossier is the requirement of an official document accompanying each batch of Hierbas Ibicencas transported between operators.
This document, validated by the Directorate General for Agri-Food Quality and Local Produce,must include key information such as the lot number, the exact volume of the product and its alcohol content.
This system will allow a more accurate monitoring of the production and distribution of the liqueur, ensuring that each bottle meets the quality standards required to maintain the Protected Geographical Indication.
An alphanumeric code on each bottle to ensure traceability
Another of the fundamental requirements introduced by this new regulation is the incorporation of an alphanumeric code on the labeling of each container. This code, which will be assigned by the General Directorate, will allow the precise identification of the packer, the capacity of the container and the number of units produced.
This mechanism is already applied in other products with Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indication, such as Hierbas de Mallorca, and its implementation in Ibiza responds to a demand from the processing sector itself, which has requested more rigorous measures to protect its product.
Entry into force and adaptation period
The new measures have been published this Thursday, February 6 in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (BOIB) and will come into force from February 7.
However, bottles of Hierbas Ibicencas that have been bottled and labeled before the date of application of the regulations may continue to be marketed while stocks last.
A measure driven by the producers themselves
The reinforcement of controls not only seeks to improve the traceability of the product, but also to protect the reputation of Hierbas Ibicencas in the market.
The modification of the technical dossier has been carried out at the request of the processors themselves, who see in this regulation a tool to strengthen the authenticity of the liquor against possible fraud or counterfeiting.
