Registration of Traditional Specialties Guaranteed in Krajina

Director of the Food Safety Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Džemil Hajrić and Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry Kemal Hrnjić handed over the Decision on the registration of the products “Krajiški omač” and ” Krajiška trahana” in the Register of Traditional Specialties Guaranteed to the representatives of the Association “Stari-novi okus” (Old-New-Taste) in Bihać. These are the first products in Bosnia and Herzegovina registered as the traditional specialties guaranteed.

“Aside from these two products, we have recently registered five more products with the protected designation of origin and geographical indication. We are particularly pleased that the Agency for Food Safety of Bosnia and Herzegovina has initiated the registration procedure at the level of the European Union for cheese “Livanjski sir”, as one of the products registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, said Džemil Hajrić.

In addition to “Livanjski sir”, “Visočka pečenica” (the Visoko cured meat) and “Nevesinjski krompir” (the Nevesinje Potato) have been registered with geographical indications, while “Livanjski original cheese” and “Drvarski mućeni pekmez od drenjina” (Drvar’s stirred cornel jam) are registered with the protected designations of origin. Substantial support for the process of registration of designations and indications is provided by the entity ministries of agriculture through support payment programs.

“Decades of oral and written recipes of our people in Krajina have finally been recognized through their inclusion in the Register of Traditional Specialties Guaranteed. This gives us the opportunity to further promote the rich Krajina cuisine and tourist offer, but also to preserve our cultural heritage. I believe that this activity will give recognition to our producers and safeguard the original character of these specialties. We in Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry are committed to helping our producers through product certification support, which will contribute to their better positioning on the market,” said Federal Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry Kemal Hrnjić.

The representatives of the “Stari-novi okus” Association and the USK Chamber of Trades and Crafts expressed their satisfaction with the successful implementation of the registration of labels.

“The traditional specialty guaranteed” label will enable the certification of the producers of traditional food, but also open up the opportunities for start-ups and the establishment of new trades and the creation of new jobs. The project provides for the certification of at least two established producers and two new producers who will be certified and have the right to use the label on their products. The Chamber of Trades and Crafts will try to include a larger number of producers, while making sure the legal regulations on the use of the label and certification of producers are complied with”, said Enes Arapović, president of the Chamber of Trades and Crafts USK.

“Krajiški omač” and “Krajiška trahana” are two types of pasta made to traditional recipes and methods of production typical for the northwestern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina – the area of the Una-Sana Canton.

Professor Halid Makić pointed out that the activities on the registration of indications for “Krajiški omač” and “Krajiška trahana” were funded by the “USAID Tourism BiH” project.

“The producer specification and other required documentation were prepared by professors from the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Bihać. This label has multiple significance, both for producers of traditional food and for tourist operators in the Una-Sana Canton. Furthermore, this label also puts USK on the tourist map and beyond, becoming a symbol of USK’s gastronomic offer”, explained prof. Makic.