Istria takes new step towards homegrown supply of traditional pršut
- by croatiaweek
- in News
A new pilot project has been launched in Istria to establish an organised local supply chain for pig farming and the production of Istrian pršut, reducing the sector’s reliance on raw material sourced from other parts of Croatia.
The project brings together four family farms and will initially involve 250 piglets, with the aim of developing a certified production model covering the entire process, from breeding and feeding to the production of pršut ready for the market.
Istria has only a small number of pig farmers remaining, meaning that some producers of the region’s traditional prosciutto have until now sourced pigs from Slavonia.
One of the farms taking part is operated by the Buretić family in the Boljun Valley.
Owner Josip Buretić currently keeps around 60 pigs for prosciutto producers and plans to raise a further 100 for his own needs.
Pršut producer Paolo Jelenić said the emergence of African swine fever had provided an additional impetus to revive local production.
“However small it may be, what matters is that it starts,” Jelenić told HRT.
The pigs will be raised under a certified system, with controls covering their origin, feeding and the entire rearing process. The focus will be on quality and a longer fattening period.
The planned price of the locally produced Istrian raw material is €4 per kilogramme. The project will also receive financial support from Istria County, with a payment model designed to help participating farmers cover the costs of the production cycle.
According to the organisers, farmers will receive half of the payment immediately, while the remaining 50% will follow once they receive county support under the de minimis scheme.
The initiative is intended to strengthen the connection between Istrian livestock farming and the region’s renowned prosciutto industry, while creating a more secure local source of raw material.
The first Istrian prosciutto made from pigs raised within the project is expected to be ready in around two years.
