Why protect appellations of origin?

THE olive oil from the Baux de Provence valley is in a small territory which is only seven kilometers wide and twenty five kilometers long. It is located on the east side of the Rhone River. The rocky soil gives the characteristic aroma to the olives that are later used for the preparation of olive oil. This unique characteristic was later recognized and a French appellation of origin was granted to the olive oil from Baux de Provence in 1996. The protection of the olive oil benefits 2,300 producers of olive oil and represents 20% of the French national production which is approximately 400,000 liters a year.

The list of specifications governing the use of the appellation contains strict requirements such as the authorized plantation density, the size of the olive trees, or the time it takes before the olive is processed into oil after picked from the trees. The specifications in summary lists those items which cannot be copied by others effectively stamping a patent or trademark on the olive oil produced in Provence.