Giaratana onion
Product included in the national list of traditional agri-food products (PAT)
PAT type: Vegetable products in their natural state or processed
Production area:
Technical data sheet of the traditional agri-food product (PAT)
Definition of the geographical area: The area concerned for the cultivation of the onion of Giarratana falls almost entirely within the municipal territory of the homonymous inhabited center and to a lesser extent in part of the municipal territory of Ragusa. It is an area with an altitude between 350 and 600 meters. asl The surface covered, on the basis of the latest estimates, is around 30 ha., distributed mainly on the flat lands of the Irminio Valley. The production is about 12.000 average quintals per year, concentrated in the period of July and August. The soils are of medium depth, medium-textured or heavy, basically calcareous and rich in organic matter. The climate is typically Mediterranean; temperatures can drop to quite low values in winter, with frequent returns in late spring.
In any case, pedoclimatic conditions that allow a good qualitative and quantitative yield of onion crops, both in terms of average weight and in relation to the flavor of the bulb.
Historical notes and links with the territory: The onion, in Giarratana, has relatively recent origins, having been cultivated for about 40 years. Originally, it was born as an income supplement species, in farms that were dedicated to zootechnical, forage and arboreal (olive and almond) productions. The progressive abandonment of the countryside has contributed, in the last decade, to the sharp decline in onion areas. In any case, the pedoclimatic conditions and the selection work carried out over time by the horticulturists themselves, allow quality productions, both for the organoleptic aspects and for the yields. We also remember the traditional "Onion Festival" held in August, during which the Operational Section, in 1989, promoted a competition for the awarding of the heavier bulbs.
Description of the product and indication of its characteristics: On the outside, the onion of Giarratana looks like a large, flattened bulb, pale white in color, wrapped in a thin, pale gold epidermis. The pulp is fleshy, succulent, rightly aromatic and sweet to the taste. The average weight, which varies mainly according to the distance between the bulbs during cultivation, is very high, around 500-600 gr., With maximums that can exceed 2 kg.
Description of the method of obtaining the product: The production of the onion, in the Giarratanese area, is intended for consumption in the fresh state. The cultivation operations begin in the winter period with the arrangement of the land in pigs, 50-70 cm wide; the basic fertilization is carried out with bovine manure, easily available. The transplanting of the seedlings takes place manually and gradually starting from February until March; the latter are produced in seedlings, generally set up at the same farms, in the autumn period (October). After transplanting, weeds are removed with the help of small hoes with narrow blades (zappuddi), which continue throughout the spring. During the spring-summer period, irrigation is used, generally with mobile (self-propelled roller) sprinkler systems. Irrigation is suspended in the last period of cultivation in order not to jeopardize the shelf life of the product. The harvest is done manually, in the period of June and July with the green leaves still attached to the bulb (what curazzi),
or in the months of July and August, when the drying of the aerial part begins; the unearthed bulbs are left to dry for a few days and then cleaned and prepared for subsequent marketing in boxes.
Existence of structures for the processing, transformation and enhancement of the product: To date, also given the secondary nature of the cultivation and the progressive decrease of the surfaces, there are no structures for the processing or promotion of the onion of Giarratana. The only promotional activity is the festival.
Source Pat Cards: Sicily Region
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Information contributions: Web, Region of Sicily
Nota: The population of the cards of the Heritage database proceeds in incremental phases: cataloging, georeferencing, insertion of information and images. The cultural property in question has been cataloged, and the first information has been entered. In order to enrich the information content, further contributions are welcome, if you wish you can contribute through our area "Your Contributions"
