San Raffaele Cimena Potatoes
Definition
Potato belongs to Solanaceae family and to the species Solanum tuberosum L. The aerial part looks like a tuft with one or more stalks of different height, bigger at the node and green, sometimes with violaceous shades. The greenest parts of the plant contain a poisonous alkaloid, the solanine, which also appears in the tubers after a long exposure to the light. The tubers are ripe when the aerial part becomes gradually yellow and when the peel well adheres to the pulp.
The harvesting can be anticipated for market reasons (early potato) or to avoid late attacks by viruses in case of seed potato production.
Since potatoes well adapt to different soil and climatic conditions, they can be cultivated at any altitude.
The most widespread cultivars in Piana di San Raffaele Cimena are Primura, Spunta, and Kennebec and, in lower quantities, Monnalisa, Draga, and Desiree.
Agata has been recently introduced, giving not always satisfying results.
- Production Area: The production area mainly includes the fertile plain of San Raffaele Cimena, called "La Piana".
- Legislative Protection: San Raffaele Cimena Potatoes are classified among the "Traditional Agri-foodstuffs of Regione Piemonte", according to art. 8 of the Legislative Decree 30th April 1998, n. 173 and the Annex to the Decisions of the Regional Council 15th April 2002 n. 46-5823.
