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OJ C, 8.11.2023

EN

The climate is influenced by Gotlands location in the middle of the Baltic Sea. Spring comes late, while autumn and winters are mild. The average July temperature is roughly 16 degrees Celsius and its hours of sunshine are among the highest in Sweden > 1 900 hours of sunshine per year. Precipitation is scant approximately 500 to 600 mm per year. Most of the precipitation falls in the period from August to December. Spring and large parts of the summer are very dry. There are often long periods of low or zero rainfall, which affects the growing opportunities and impose significant demands on both the grower and the crop grown.
Gotlandslins is the dried seed of the local variant of the lentil traditionally cultivated on Gotland Lens culinaris. The systematic selection of seeds for the following years sowing make Gotlandslins well-adapted to the special natural conditions that prevail on Gotland. Gotlandlins also has a genetic variation that makes it extra-resilient during the dry periods often experienced on Gotland during the growing season.
Adaptions to Gotlands special natural conditions mean that the traditional Gotland lentil shrub yields up to 15 %
more lentils on Gotlands poor limestone soils than the same lentil shrub grown in Sknes fertile soils. This lentil shrubs capacity to form a deep and sturdy root system on Gotlands poor and limestone soils means the local variant of lentil shrub grows better in these soils than other cultivated lentil variants do.
The climate and the nature of the soils mean that Gotlandslins grows slowly growth time is around 120 days. The slow growth and limestone soils give Gotlandslins its characteristic special taste profile and mineral element.
Link with human factors linked to the geographical area As the Gotland lentil shrub has special requirements regarding the growing conditions, Gotlandlins is a difficult crop to grow. This means that the cultivation of Gotlandslins places great demands on the growers knowledge of the lentil shrubs specific requirements and of local soil and climate conditions, in order for the lentil shrubs to thrive and produce Gotlandslins with the characteristics typical of the product.
The lentil shrub cultivated to produce Gotlandlins is relatively small and sparse in terms of ground cover. To ensure that the young lentils are not choked by weeds before the plants are established, Gotlandslins is grown on poor sandy soils that restrict weed growth. In addition, growers intercrop Gotlandslins with grains, usually oats Avena sativa, which gives the lentil shrub support and holds back the weeds until the lentil shrubs become established and cover the ground. This intercropping means that the grower must balance the relationship between the Gotlandslins and the grains and adapt it to the specific characteristics of the different growing areas so that the lentil shrubs have sufficient light and support, without the grain impeding the growth of the Gotlandslins.
Growers usually sow Gotlandlins in mid-April. As a result of its adaptation to Gotlands climate, Gotlandslins can cope with occasional frosts. This gives the lentil shrubs the long period of growth about 120 days needed for the development of Gotlandslins in Gotlands cool climate with many hours of sunshine. Gotlandslins has a much slower growth rate than other lentils imported into Sweden, which normally have a growing time of between 80
and 100 days. The slow growth contributes to the special characteristics that typify the Gotlandslins.
Gotlandlins and the intercropped grains are harvested at the same time. Harvesting takes place when the pods of the Gotlandlins start to turn brown. The grower threshes the harvest carefully 600-800 turns per minute with extra sharp knives so that the threshing does not cause abrasion damage that reduces the quality of Gotlandslins. The harvested mixture of grain and pulses is dried and picked over. The growers separate the Gotlandslins from the grain through screening when they are picking over the harvest.
Reference to publication of the product specification https www.livsmedelsverket.se/globalassets/foretag-regler-kontroll/livsmedelsinformation-markning-halsopastaenden/
skyddade-beteckningar/produktspecifikation_ansokan_gotlandslins_2023_03_20.pdf
ELI: http data.europa.eu/eli/C/2023/795/oj
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