A pršut from a village near Imotski named Croatia’s best

(Photo: Mario Alajbeg)

Dalmatian pršut Barić, produced by Opskrba Trade, has been crowned champion at the 11th Croatian Pršut Days, held on 25 and 26 April in Šibenik.

The winning pršut was cured in Slivno, a small village near Imotski, where the company’s drying facility is based.

This is the first win at the event for brothers Ivan and Domagoj Barić, who proudly represent the growing tradition of top-quality Dalmatian pršut.

Darko Markotic, Ivan and Domagoj Barić (Photo: Mario Alajbeg)

Competition was tough this year, with 12 top-rated pršut competing. Notably, there were no bronze medals awarded – only gold and silver – a clear sign of the exceptional quality on display.

Croatian Pršut Days is a travelling event that promotes only certified Croatian pršuts. Croatia boasts four protected types: Krčki, Drniški, and Dalmatinski (each with EU protected geographical indication status), and the Istrian variety, which has EU protected designation of origin status.

(Photo: Mario Alajbeg)

Šibenik hosted the event for the second time, the first being in 2017 – a fitting location as it is in a region known for the famous Drniš pršut.

Special Awards and Industry Warnings

In addition to the gold and silver plaques, two special awards were given for contributions to pršut production: one to Drago Pletikosa, a renowned Drniš producer and passionate promoter of tradition, and the other to Ivica Kovačević, a co-founder of the Dalmatian Prosciutto Association.

Ante-Madir with Barić representative (Photo: Mario Alajbeg)

During the opening ceremony, Darko Markotić, President of the Croatian Pršut Cluster, warned of new global challenges facing the industry.

“Croatia proudly offers four protected pršuts, placing us alongside pršut giants like Spain and Italy,” he said. “We’ve faced the pandemic, inflation, and now the African swine fever. On top of that, a looming customs war between world powers could shake up the U.S. market, affecting exports and pushing more European products into our market.”

Marko Jelić, Drago Pletikosa, Mato Čačić (Photo: Mario Alajbeg)

He also pointed out that domestic production still falls short. “Croatia consumes around one million prosciuttos a year but produces only about 550,000,” he noted.

(Photo: Mario Alajbeg)

Call for Greater Self-Sufficiency

Dragan Kovačević, Vice President for Agriculture and Tourism at the Croatian Chamber of Economy, stressed the importance of increasing domestic production to meet demand.

“In sustainable tourism, which Croatia is developing, gastronomy plays a key role. Prosciutto is one of the products that connect visitors with the local experience,” he said. “We’ve optimised the production process, but we need more quantity. The main issue is pig farming – quality meat is still largely imported.”

Dragan Kovačević (Photo: Mario Alajbeg)

He highlighted the need for local pig breeding using specific breeds, longer fattening, and better meat quality – achievable only through targeted domestic production.

Celebrating a Decade of EU Protection

Mato Čačić, a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture, reminded attendees that 14 April marked ten years since the EU registered Krčki pršut as Croatia’s first protected product.

“That’s why the Croatian Parliament has declared 14 April as the Day of Protected Croatian Indigenous Products,” he said. Croatia now has 51 registered agricultural and food products at the EU level, placing it in 8th position across the Union – an impressive achievement for the EU’s youngest member state.

(Photo: Mario Alajbeg)

A World-Renowned Product

Presidential adviser Velibor Mačkić emphasised the importance of clustering, saying that unity among producers helps raise their voice and visibility.

“The President of Croatia strongly supports such initiatives and is a big fan of pršut,” he added with a smile.

Šibenik-Knin County Prefect Marko Jelić congratulated all the winners and noted that prosciutto is one of the world’s most recognisable food brands, enjoyed in prestigious settings across the globe. Šibenik Mayor Željko Burić also praised prosciutto as a path to sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods.

(Photo: Mario Alajbeg)

The event, organised annually by the Croatian Pršut Cluster, concluded with a public tasting and sale of award-winning pršuts at promotional prices on Šibenik’s Pavle Šubić Square.