Recently, milk processing has become an increasingly popular activity, including among young people, and the Harghita County Council (CJ) is providing support for those practicing traditional professions.
According to data provided by Istvan Robert, the director of the Harghita Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate (DSVSA), there are about 100 small dairy processors in the county, 62 of whom are active, while the rest are seasonal sheepfolds. Most processors handle cow's milk, but there is also a farm in the county that processes buffalo milk, one that processes donkey milk, two that process goat milk and several that process sheep milk, Agerpres.
Their products are appreciated by consumers and are sold at regularly organised fairs, in local store chains, as well as in other counties. From a veterinary and food safety standpoint, the products are safe, with no cases of foodborne illnesses associated with these processors.
The small processors are inspected at least once a year, and milking installations, storage and handling conditions, as well as self-control programmes, are checked. In addition, processors are required to microbiologically test their products, and where there are more complex recipes, to carry out physicochemical analyses.
The number of small processors has grown steadily in recent years, including young people who have worked abroad and returned home to start this type of activity. Although dairy processing does not create vast fortunes, there is the possibility to make a living from this activity, with the support of partners for promoting and selling the products.
The importance of organising them into associations and obtaining the "Secuiesc Product" Label, a programme of the Harghita County Council, is emphasised by the authorities, in order to support the promotion and access to funds. The president of the Harghita County Council, Bíra Barna-Botond, explained that the county supports traditional professions through various programmes, including organising fairs and non-reimbursable funding for associations and processing cooperatives.
The "Secuiesc Product" label, registered since 2010, has been awarded to over 1,500 products from more than 200 local producers. Local producers also have the opportunity to sell their products through local gastronomic points, which prepare food based on recipes specific to the area.
With the prospect of Harghita County becoming the European Gastronomy Region in 2027, local products will receive special attention, and the Harghita County Council aims to contribute to the development of a sustainable economy, where gastronomic traditions meet modern market demands.
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