Lungauer Eachtling

 
Record number: 17 
 
Disclosure date 
First documented mention of potatoes in the region Lungau from Lorenz Hübner in the year 1796.
  
 

Photo: BMLFUW/A...

Title 
Lungauer Eachtling
(Lungauer potato) 
 
 
 
 
 
Abstract or claim 
Cultivation of seed and table potatoes in a passed down tradition in the region Lungau, Salzburg.Specific climatic conditions in the production area, an inner-alpine basin, around 1.000 m above sea-level. 
  
Name of product, product class
potato, vegetables
 
Name of region
Lungau, political district Tamsweg, Salzburg, Austria 
 
Field of search
Food and agriculture
 
Name(s) of information providers
Lungauer Saatzucht- und Saatbauverein (seed producer association Lungau)
  
Names of applicant for title   
--- 
 
Holder of knowledge or associated resources
Potato growers in  the region Lungau, political district Tamsweg;
28 members of “Lungauer Saatzucht- und Saatbauverein” (seed producer association Lungau)
 
Grantee(s), holder(s), assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
---
  
Descriptors 
- History:
The potato species evolved in the Andes and has probably been first cultivated in Peru some 7,000 years ago. In 1536 the Conquistador Pizzaro brought potatoes from South America to Spain from where potatoes were spread across Europe.
 
It is assumed that in 1620 monks cultivated potatoes in the garden of the monastery Seitenstetten (Mostviertel, Lower Austria) for the first time.
 
Empress Maria Theresia (1740 - 1780) promoted the cultivation of potatoes and, e.g. commanded their cultivation in Pyrhabruck, a village in the region Waldviertel, Lower Austria.
  
The famine of 1772/1773 boosted the cultivation of potatoes.
   
The growing importance of potatoes as food is demonstrated by the so-called Potato War (Kartoffelkrieg; War of the Bavarian Succession 1778-1779) where Prussian and Austrian troops digged up the enemy’s potatoes to deny food-supplies to the enemy.
  
Since the beginning of potato growing, potatoes have been part of the traditional eating culture and the daily dishes. 
  
At the end of the 18^th  century, Eachtling (vernaculary for potatoe) became known in the region Lungau.
It can be supposed that Eachtling were first cultivated by Ferdinand von Pichl and the clergyman Kröll von Mariapfarr in the region Lungau.
 
First documented mention of potatoes in the region Lungau is from the historian Lorenz Hübner in the year 1796.
Furthermore, the writer and topograph Ignaz von Kürsinger mentioned the potato growing in the Lungau in 1853.
  
In the middle of the 19^th  century the potato blight disease caused by Phytophthora infestans destroyed large parts of the potato production. In 1874 the Colorado beetle became a major pest in European potato production. However, these two calamities triggered the breeding of resistant varieties and led to improvements in plant protection and cultivation techniques.
 
At the end of the 19^th  century the traditional bean production in the Lungau was mainly replaced by potato production in the region. It is reported that sons of farmers became used to potatoes during their six-year service in the army and, thus, overcame their aversion to potato growing.
 
In 1949 the association "Lungauer Saatzucht- und Saatbauverein" was founded which professionalized the production and marketing of potatoes.
 
In 1952 a seed potato cellar was established in the municipality Tamsweg.
 
In 1980 a modern cellar for potato storage was built in cooperation with „Lagerhaus Tamsweg“. Since 1997 the potato cellar is run by
“Lungauer Saatzucht- und Saatbauverein” itself. “Lungauer Saatzucht- und Saatbauverein” provides technical and organisational service for 28 members (20 organic farmers, 8 conventional farmers).
 
Due to high farming costs and low prices the area of potato growing decreased from 366 hectares in 1959 to 150 ha hectares in 2000.
 
Today, 400 farmers produce potatoes on an area of about 150 hectares, there of 40 ha supervised by the „Lungauer Saatzucht- und Saatbauverein“. Organic potatoes are produced on more than 60 % of the area.
 
“Lungauer Saatzucht und Saatbauverein“ produces about 1000 tons of Eachtling there of 400 tons seed potatoes, 400 tons table potatoes and 200 tons fodder potatoes.
Altogether, about 2,500 tons of potatoes are produced in the Lungau annually.
 
- Region:
The Lungau region is congruent with the administrative district Tamsweg in the south-east of the Federal province Salzburg, Austria.
 
The Lungau in Salzburg is a 1000 m high, inner-alpine basin bordered by mountains which influence heavily the rough climate and the vegetation. It is bordered by the Radstädter Tauern in the north-west, the Niedere Tauern in the north-east and by the Nockberge in the south.
 
Climate and soil conditions:
The region Lungau is characterized by alpine climate.
Winters are harsh, summers show numerous hours of sunshine and big differences in temperature between day and night.
 
Summers are warm with an average daytime temperature of about 15°C and maxima of 32°C. During nights temperature often falls considerably below 20°C, sometimes down to around 1°C
During winter temperatures of -26°C can occur. Therefore, the region is considered „cold pole of Austria“.
 
The region is poor in precipitation and protected from winds due to surrounding mountain ranges.
 
The natural sandy residual soils are rich in humus and well suited for growing potatoes.
 
Ideal conditions of climate and soils make the Lungau not only to an area of specific potato health characterized by low infestation pressure by pests, but also one of the best potato growing areas in Austria.
 
Areas of Lungauer Eachtling growing are situated more than 1.000 m above sea level and higher.
 
- Lungauer Eachtling:
The specific soil and climate conditions of the region in combination with selected potato varieties, specific cultivation methods, perfect ripeness at harvest and specific storage conditions result in potatoes with specific quality in relation to taste and cooking quality.
 
The potato’s taste and is positively influenced by climatic conditions of the cultivation at n altitude of about 1000 m.
 
Method of Production
Seeds
Lungauer Eachtling are tuberous crops from the perennial crop Solanum tuberosum L., family Solanaceae.
 
At present the following potato varieties are grown in the region:
Evita, Ditta, Nicola, Husar, Jaerla, Ostara, Desiree, Laura, Asterix, Violetta.
The use of genetically-modified seeds is banned.
 
Besides table potatoes, the farmers are specialized on the production of premium seed potatoes with excellent resistance and quick growth.
 
About 40 % of the potato seeds originate from the region itself. Seeds which are licensed are bought from “Saatbaugenossenschaft Niederösterreich (NÖS)”.
 
Soils and fertilization
Fields are fertilized mainly with manure from the own farm.
Low input of mineral fertilizers and of synthetic plant protection products and the favourable soil and climatic conditions ensure potatoes of highest quality.
Fertilization is subject to the requirements of the Austrian Agri-environmental Programme (ÖPUL) aplpy. It has to be documented in the acreage index.
However, farmers avoid any yield enhancing agricultural means (mineral fertilizers and plant protection products) on about 30 % of the fields.
 
Crop rotation
Crop rotation is characterized by rotation between tilled fields and meadows (“Egartwirtschaft”) as cattle husbandry is an important factor in the Lungau. Potato growing is followed by the growing of spring barley, spring barley with underseed and then 3 years of grassland, there of 20 % red clover.
 
Cultivation
Tubers of Lungauer Eachtling are laid mechanically from end- April until about 10^th  of May.
 
Plant protection measures
Most potato growers apply only copper pesticides against potato blight (Phytophtora infestans).
For the production of seed potatoes the haulm is destroyed mechanically.
 
For production of Lungauer Eachtling the requirements of the Austrian Agri-Environment Programme (ÖPUL) have to be fulfilled.
 
Irrigation
There is no artificial irrigation.
 
Harvesting, grading  and storaging

Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman

Lungauer Eachtling are harvested, graded and stored exclusively in the region Lungau. Thus the mixing of potatoes originating from other regions is prevented and traceability is ensured.
 
Harvest of potatoes is from of end-August to mid-October. Small fields (below 20 are) are harvested manually.
 
Yields per hectare are rather low due to the alpine climatic conditions and the cultivation on about 1000 m above sea level. However, these conditions contribute to potatoes of intense and rich flavour.
Annual yields range between 18-30 tons depending on the variety.
 
Potatoes are graded according to their size and appearance: seed potatoes (> 5 cm in diameter), table potatoes (< 5 cm) and fodder potatoes (damages tubers). For storing Eachtling have to be healthy, undamaged, dry and clean.
Potatoes are stored in boxes containing 1.000 kg in the central storage facility in Tamsweg. Best storage conditions are temperatures of about 4 °C and shaded rooms.
 
The bigger part of the yield is stored in storage facilities of “Lungauer Saatzucht- und Saatbauverein” which has a capacity of 900 tons.
 
Proof of origin
Lungauer Eachtling haveto be traceable from field to retail. For this purpose farmers have to record data on the fields and varieties used and on harvesting of the different varieties.
 
Regional packaging companies record name and address of supplier, potato variety, method of production (organic or conventional, amount of potatoes, delivery date, cooking type, and address of Saatzuchtverband.
In retail table potatoes are labelled with the name of the farmer which allows the consumer to trace the product back to the producer.
 
Quality
In retail Lungauer Eachtling have to comply with class I of the “ÖsterreichischenVerordnung über Qualitätsklassen für Speisekartoffeln“ (Austrian Ordinance about quality classes for table potatoes).
 
Quality control:
Members of the association Lungauer Eachtling produce potatoes according to the requirements of integrated production in the framework of the Austrian Agri-Environmental programme.
Organic Lungauer Eachtling are labelled with the AMA Organic Seal. Organic farmers are controlled by the accredited control organisation „Salzburger Landwirtschaftliche Kontrolle (SLK)“ annually.
 
- Marketing:
Members of the association „Lungauer Saatzucht- und Saatbauvereines“ market table potatoes to retail (two thirds) or to storehouses in Salzburg. The remaining rest is marketed directly.
Table potatoes are packed in net sacks containing 5 kg, 10 kg or 25 kg. For retail potatoes are packed in paper bags containing 1 or 1.5 kg.
Seed potatoes are sold to Salzburger Raiffeisenverband exclusively.
 
Farmers which are not members of the association market potatoes directly.
 
Connection with the geographic area and Traditional Knowledge
- Specific natural, rich in humus and sandy soils and the dry alpine climate
  provide ideal conditions for the cultivation of table and seed potatoes of
  high quality at an altitude of about 1.000 m.
- Specific production methods and specific climatic conditions allow for the
  production of potatoes with low risk of pest infestation  
- The production of Lungauer Eachtling is the result of Traditional Knowledge
  passed on from generation to generation: the Traditional Knowledge and
  expertise of potato farmers (adaptation of potatoes to environmental
  constraints; improvement of the genetic variability, traditional cultivation
  and storage methods) and the expertise of retail sellers in marketing.
 
- Utilization:
Lungauer Eachtling is the basis for tradtional dishes like Eachtlingsuppe“ (potato soup) and „Eachtling mit Eierschwammerlfülle“ (potaoes filled with chanterelles)
 
- Protection:
-  
  
Key words
Food and Agriculture, Traditional Knowledge, Austria, Salzburg, region, Lungau, district Tamsweg, vegetable, Eachtling, potato, Lungauer Eachtling, Lungauer potato
 
Bibliography/ References
- Bezirk Tamsweg
  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lungau  
- "Eachtling" immer beliebter
  http://salzburg.orf.at/magazin/leben/stories/306302/  
- Ignaz von Kürsinger (1853) – „Der Lungau“
- Im Vogtland, in Bayern, Sachsen und Thüringen
  http://www.kartoffel-geschichte.de/Erste_Furche/Die_Aufklarungszeit/In_Bayern_und_Sachsen/in_bayern_und_sachsen.html - Lungauer Eachtling
  http://www.eachtling.at/  
- Lungauer Eachtling
  www.genuss-region.at  
- Lungauer Eachtling: der tolle Siegeszug einer Knolle
  http://www.salzburg.com/sn/salzburgerwoche/ln/artikel/1701382.html  
- Lungauer Eachtling
  http://www.visitsalzburg.travel/index.cfm?DICEID=11&PGID=883&LGID=1  
- Lungauer Eachtling Rezepte. Ferienregion Lungau
- Projekt: Lungauer Eachtling
  http://www.agrarprojektpreis.at/lungauer-eachtling..245.htm  
- Radstädter Tauern
  http://aeiou.iicm.tugraz.at/aeiou.encyclop.r/r060553.htm  
- Rezepte
  www.lungau.at  
 
All internet references last accessed 21 of July 2008.
  
Language code
German
 
Product of www.genuss-region.at
yes
 
Regional contact 
Lungauer Saatzucht- und Saatbauverein
Geschäftsführer DI Andreas Kaiser
Amtsgasse 4
5580 Tamsweg/ Salzburg
Phone.: 06474/7701-14
E-mail: andreas.kaiser@lk-salzburg.at
  
Authors: Mag. Eva Sommer, Dr. Erhard Höbaus
 

11.11.2011, Lebensministerium III/4