December 6, 2019 - Cetinje will be a host of the first International Prosciutto Fair, which will be organized on 5 and 6 June 2020, under the auspices of the Tourist Organization of Cetinje and Montenegrin prosciutto cluster.
Mayor of Cetinje, Mr Aleksandar Kašćelan, said at the press conference that Cetinje and the surroundings were famous for its exquisite meat products even beyond Montenegro’s borders.
“Around 400.000 legs of prosciutto are produced in the territory of Cetinje every year. This product is at the same time potential for Cetinje’s development not only in the economic but also in tourism sense as prosciutto production creates new jobs and opens opportunities for further progress of the entire municipality”, said Mr Kašćelan.
According to him, Cetinje deserves to have a prosciutto fair, and personnel of the meat industry in Cetinje deserve to get respect for the results they achieve.
“We want them to showcase their skills and experience in a direct way”, said Mr Kašćelan.
The fair will promote home-made products and endorse national campaigns for the purchase of home-made products.
We think it is our duty. We do this for our families, our producers and our country”, said Mr Kašćelan.
State secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Đuro Žugić, believes that the fair will contribute to the promotion of high-quality and authentic products from Montenegro, whose specialty has been recognized and protected in accordance with the law.
In December 2018, Montenegrin prosciutto was protected with geographical indications.
“Geographical indications of the product contributes to overall rural development and enables producers to increase market value and protect them from any abuse, imitation or fraud”, said Mr Žugić.
He thinks that fair will be a great opportunity for the promotion of sustainable agriculture in Montenegro and rural development, favoring products that have a many-decade long reputation.
Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro, Ms Ljiljana Filipović, said that the fair would “much more than just exhibition of products, and that it would be a sort of forum of bidders and partners.
According to her, the promotion of such products contributes to the recognition of the regions they come from, has a positive impact on the revenue of agriculture households and encourages agricultural producers to associate and organize the market performance.
President of the Montenegrin prosciutto cluster, Mr Jovan Kaluđerović, announced that the first quantities of certified prosciutto legs could found their place on the market in February.
Mr Kaluđerović reminded that members of the cluster had been taking part in the renowned fairs and prosciutto festivals in the European countries and countries in the region, and were awarded for their products.
Director of Tourist Organization of the Old Royal Capital Cetinje, Mr Oskar Huter, said that TO was committed to diversifying its product, while carefully tracking the needs of the contemporary tourists.
“Festivals and fairs have become the fastest-growing offer in tourism, and serve as a tool for the promotion and can change the image of the town”, said Mr Huter.
For the organization of fairs of this type, participation and support of the country and relevant national institutions is very important.
Text by CDM on December 6, 2019, read more here.
