Bid to slice Melton Mowbray pork pie manufacturing zone refused

BBC Information, East Midlands

An software to shrink the geographical space the place Melton Mowbray pork pies will be produced has been rejected.
The pies have particular protected geographical standing, which suggests solely producers utilizing the normal recipe and within the neighborhood of the Melton Mowbray can use the Leicestershire city’s title.
The pastry will be produced within the city of Melton Mowbray and its surrounding area, together with Nottingham to the north and Northampton to the south, however The Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Affiliation (MMPPA) utilized for this space to be decreased.
Nevertheless, the request was refused by the Division for Atmosphere, Meals & Rural Affairs (Defra) in choice discover printed on Wednesday.

The pie’s standing known as Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).
Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman of the MMPPA, mentioned when the group initially utilized for the safety – awarded in 2008 – they “had historic proof as to the place the boundaries ought to go”.
He mentioned: “Within the south, the boundary was initially the street between Leicester and Stamford.”
However Defra steered or not it’s prolonged as a result of an organization in Wellingborough, which had been making the pork pies for many years, objected as it will have been exterior the world, Mr O’Callaghan mentioned.

Mr O’Callaghan added: “We agreed the world could be nearly doubled in order to go all the way down to the south to incorporate this producer in Wellingborough.”
Nevertheless, he mentioned the producer – Saxby’s – had closed and no pork pies had been made in that space for at the very least 10 years.
Mr O’Callaghan mentioned the affiliation due to this fact thought it was affordable to ask Defra to amend the area to the unique proposal.
“It might not have affected anyone presently producing Melton Mowbray pork pies,” he added.
He mentioned the affiliation was “dissatisfied” the appliance was rejected “as a result of we predict what folks need once they purchase a Melton Mowbray pork pie is a pie tied to a historic space”.
Explaining the world they needed the safety decreased to, he mentioned it was between “the Leicester to Stamford street – the A47 [to the south], the Nice North Street the A1 [to the east], the River Trent within the north, together with Nottingham, after which to the west, the River Soar”.

Defra’s discover rejecting the appliance mentioned: “The proposed modification would scale back the geographical manufacturing space and exclude sure producers from utilizing the PGI designation.
“This may instantly have an effect on market entry and impose new commerce restrictions, which isn’t permitted below the regulation.”
It added: “The applicant has not supplied adequate proof to indicate that the standard, fame, or traits of the product at the moment are unique to the proposed smaller space.”
The affiliation has been suggested if it opts to attraction in opposition to the choice, the deadline is 2 April.