Native Mountain Honey from Cordoba: A new food with Geographical Indication

By Estudio Chaloupka

Native Mountain Honey from Cordoba (Miel de Monte Nativo Cordobés) is a new food with a Geographical Indication (GI) that was approved by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina in March 2024.

This means that honey produced in a specific delimited area of ​​northwestern Cordoba, and that meets certain quality and flavor characteristics, can bear this distinctive seal.

Characteristics of Native Mountain Honey from Cordoba:

-Color: Dark, with more antioxidants than light honeys.
-Flavor: Intense, with floral, fruity and warm notes.
-Sweetness: Low to moderate.
-Texture: Creamy.
-Aroma: To flowers, fruits and spices.
-Pollen: Species of the native Cordoba mountain range predominate, such as carob, mistol, chañar, white quebracho and tala.
-Humidity: Low.
-Acidity: High.

Benefits of Native Mountain Honey from Cordoba:

-It is a natural and artisanal product.
-It is rich in nutrients and antioxidants.
-It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
-It is a healthy and energetic food.

The approval of Native Mountain Honey from Cordoba as a GI product is a recognition of the quality and uniqueness of this honey. It is also a way to promote the development of the beekeeping sector in the region and to protect the native monte ecosystem.

The Monte Nativo Cordobés (Cordoba's Native Mountain Range) is a specific ecological region located in northwestern Argentina, encompassing parts of the provinces of Córdoba, San Luis, La Rioja, and Catamarca. 

The Monte Nativo Cordobés is a transition zone between the flat plains of the Chaco region to the east and the towering peaks of the Andes mountains to the west. Characterized by rolling hills and low mountain ranges with an average altitude of 500 to 1000 meters above sea level, the landscape is further diversified by the presence of dry riverbeds and seasonal streams.

The sparse vegetation with limited tree cover allows for the proliferation of wildflowers during the short spring season, contributing to the honey's diverse pollen profile.

“The honeys from the northwest of Córdoba come from native forests, which are an area with little anthropogenic influence and reflect the native flora. Its main sources of pollen and nectar come from species typical of the Chaco phytogeographic region, but they differ from other honeys from that area because they also have characteristics given by the accompanying vegetation of the native forest. This gives the product its own and distinctive qualities, a determining factor of its reputation, regardless of the different flavors and aromas that make them different from each other,” says the annex to the resolution that approves the GI.