For three days some thirty producers from the archipelago will take part in the Local Produce Fair, which this year is being run for the first time by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment.
The Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, through the Directorate-General for Agri-food Quality and Local Produce, is promoting the presence of local produce on Balearic Islands Day and is managing the Local Produce Fair for the first time. The event will be held on 28th February and 1st and 2nd March at s’Hort del Rei, in Palma.
For this year’s edition, the government has modified the participation requirements to guarantee that the thirty or so producers present will offer products under the denomination of local produce. Thus, only agricultural and food products grown, produced and fished in the Balearic Islands, foods with a protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication of the Balearic Islands and products made with ingredients from the primary sector will be marketed. Joan Llabrés, Director General of Agri-Food Quality and Local Produce, explained that ‘this fulfils a request from the agricultural organisations, who had asked for more prominence to be given to the Balearic Islands Day’.
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The Government promotes the presence of local produce on Balearic Islands Day
On the other hand, the councillor Joan Simonet stated that ‘the main objective is for the fair to be a platform for the producers of the Balearic Islands to make their products known and to establish a meeting point between producers, processors and consumers’. In addition, Simonet assured that ‘once again, the Government’s commitment to promoting local produce is demonstrated’.
The more than thirty producers will showcase a whole range of products and foodstuffs at the fair, including sobrasada, cheese, wine, almonds, honey, oil, salt, sausages, infusions, teas, spirits, sauces and spices, among others. On the other hand, and to make the fair more dynamic, every day there will be a draw for five baskets valued at 60 euros. To participate, a minimum purchase of 10 euros in local produce must have been made.
First Local Fish and Fishing Fair
As a novelty, for the first time in the framework of the Day of the Balearic Islands, the Local Fishing and Fish Fair will be held, an exhibition that will be located in Consolat de Mar Street and in Drassana Square and will be a showcase for the professional fishing sector of the archipelago.
This first fair has been made possible thanks to the involvement of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment and the work of the Balearic Federation of Fishermen’s Guilds, the Palma Fishermen’s Guild, the Fishermen’s Guilds of Ibiza, the Palma fish market (OP Mallorcamar) and the Local Fishing Action Group of Mallorca.
There will be information stands on traditional fishing gear, sustainable fishing practices and the quality marks of local fish from Mallorca (Millorquín) and Ibiza (Peix Nostrum). In addition, as part of this exhibition, the Palma Fishermen’s Guild and OP Mallorcamar will be offering dishes made with seafood from the Balearic Islands.
There will also be several workshops, the first on the history, evolution and present of fishing in the Balearic Islands and the Palma Fishermen’s Guild, while the second will be related to traditional fishing in the archipelago.
The Directorate General of Fisheries, the Balearic Federation of Fishermen’s Guilds, the Palma Fishermen’s Guild, Peix Nostrum, OP Mallorcamar and the Mallorca Fishing Local Action Group will have a stand at the fair.
Promoting the protection of the natural environment
The Regional Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and the Natural Environment will also present the work carried out by the Balearic Institute of Nature (IBANAT) in the field of forest fire extinction and prevention and in the management of the natural environment. Over the three days, attendees will be able to observe the resources and operations used to protect the territory. For this purpose, there will be the presence of a fire truck for forest fires, will provide a close-up view of the resources used for fire prevention and extinction.
In addition, among other things, the tasks carried out for forest management, the maintenance of the protected natural areas of the Balearic Islands, the conservation of posidonia and the management of refuges and recreational areas will be explained.
Likewise, the environmental agents will also be present at the Balearic Islands Day with an exhibition to show the public what they do to protect the environment and enforce environmental legislation. With this initiative, the Regional Ministry wishes to highlight the efforts and commitment of the professionals who work daily to guarantee the conservation of nature in the Balearic Islands, promoting greater knowledge and awareness of the importance of the sustainable management of the archipelago’s natural resources.