The European Commission on Friday announced it had approved the addition of Agros rosewater to its Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) register.
The commission described the rosewater as “an aromatic water produced from hwole flowers of a species of aromatic rose grown in the village of Agros in southwestern Cyprus.”
“The product is characterised by a particularly intense aroma, which simulates the aroma of a fresh rose,” it added.
Agros rosewater has been produced in the village since the beginning of the 20th century, with the traditional method of production maintained to this day.
“From a young age, local residents learn from their parents how to grow and harvest roses. This long and continuous tradition of production, from harvest to distillation, guarantees the product’s quality and especially its strong aroma, which makes it so special,” the commission said.
It added that the product’s “special character” is also sourced from the “highly aromatic roses” which are cultivated around Agros due to the favourable climatic conditions in the region.
Cyprus’ government had first applied to have Agros rosewater added to the EU’s PGI register in 2016.
Earlier this year at the Agros Rose Festival, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou had extolled the virtues of Agros and its rose tradition.
She described the festival as “a celebration which aims to highlight the cultivation of roses as well as the promotion of traditional products prepared with the processing of roses.”
Speaking about the history of roses, she said, “since ancient times, the rose has played a central role in the everyday life of Greeks and of peoples of the region.”
She said, “the first description thereof was made by Theophrastus, who mentions varieties which were cultivated in Philippi and on the Pangaion hills,” both of which are located in the Greek region of Macedonia.
She added that the most common variety seen in Cyprus today is the Damask Rose, which were first imported to the island by monks from the Kykkos Monastery after they had made a trip to Romania.
She went on to explain, “the cultivation of the Damask Rose in Agros was started by the teacher and folklorist Nearchos Clerides, who urged his students to plant 50 rose bushes in their families’ fields.”
“Since then, rose cultivation has been an activity characteristic of the region, creating income and jobs, as well as beautifying and upgrading its natural environment,” she said.
She added, “the rose, a plant which for centuries has been inextricably linked to the culture and history of our island, is an important element of our local production, which unites us with our roots and traditions.”
