From Dalmatia to Istria: Croatia’s finest protected pršuts to be showcased

Days of Croatian Pršut (Photo credit: Filip Brala)

Zagreb is hosting the tenth edition of an event promoting protected Croatian pršuts on April 19th and 20th.

Zagreb, April 5, 2024 – The champion among the finest protected Croatian pršuts will be revealed on April 19th at the International Hotel in Zagreb during the tenth Croatian Pršut Days.

This flavorful event, which changes location every year, promotes four certified and EU-protected products, including Dalmatian and Drniš pršut, the only ones in the Mediterranean still smoked, stated Ante Madir, the executive director of the Croatian Pršut Cluster, while presenting the program of the anniversary event at Business Club 5 in Zagreb.

“We will celebrate the tenth anniversary in the capital, marking the second time our event takes place in Zagreb. On the first day, alongside experts and institutional representatives, our members, more than twenty of them exclusively producing protected pršuts – Krk, Istrian, Drniš, and Dalmatian – will gather. They have already submitted their samples for evaluation; awards will be distributed during the Croatian Pršut Days, with the champion’s pršut sparking the most interest. All awarded prosciuttos will be showcased at the European Square on the second day of the event, April 20th, where citizens can taste and purchase premium products at promotional prices from eight in the morning until three in the afternoon,” Madir declared.

Announcing the 10th Days of Croatian Pršut (Photo credit: Boris Ščitar)

Since the first event held in Split a decade ago, the Croatian Pršut Cluster has received significant support from the Croatian Chamber of Economy, whose Vice President for Agriculture and Tourism, Dragan Kovačević, emphasized the institution’s active involvement in lobbying and providing expert assistance to prosciutto producers, connecting science with producers, and promoting pršut production in Croatia.

“A small country like ours boasts four EU-protected prosciuttos, further contributing to branding Croatia as a wine and gastronomy destination, which is crucial as we are a tourist country. According to the Institute for Tourism, 25 percent of the total tourist spending in Croatia is on food and beverages, amounting to over 3.6 billion euros. It’s evident that prosciutto has its place in this equation,” Kovačević highlighted, adding that prosciutto is among the traditional products highly favored by modern tourists seeking an authentic experience, steering away from mass tourism.

(Photo credit: Boris Ščitar)

Kovačević also addressed challenges in pršut production, noting Croatia currently covers 52 percent of its pork meat needs. With a significant external trade deficit of about 300 million euros, the African Swine Fever encountered last year highlighted an additional issue with unregistered pigs, urging the need for a new swine production strategy and regulatory amendments.

The President of the Istrian Pršut Association, Paolo Jelenić, discussed climate change, stating that serious producers tackle this issue with advanced technology without compromising traditional methods.

“Those of us engaged in this for years have set high quality standards and reached a certain level, evidenced by the evaluation results. Istrian pršut holds the status of an exclusive product in Croatian prosciutto production, protected due to its original origin. We solely procure raw materials from Croatia, whereas Krk, Drniš, and Dalmatian pršuts carry geographical indications,” Jelenić explained.

(Photo credit: Boris Ščitar)

His colleague from Istria, Mikela Bušić Lisjak, emphasized how tourists highly value quality and are already familiar with Istrian pršut.

“They appreciate the small-scale production and the tradition we offer. Foreigners often inquire about the origin and quality of the raw materials in Croatia. For such premium products, they don’t mind spending extra, although the price of protected prosciutto is slightly higher, we are still below the average price for such products,” noted this renowned Istrian pršut producer.

President of the Drniš Pršut Association, Drago Pletikosa, whose is the first protected pršut from Dalmatia, highlighted how this traditional product beautifully promotes the Drniš region and stands as one of its strongest brands.

(Photo credit: Boris Ščitar)

Approaching the Croatian Pršut Days once again emphasized Croatia’s production of 500 thousand pieces of this top-quality delicacy, yet twice as much is needed to meet demands. However, over the last decade, producers have invested over 50 million euros in new facilities and equipment, ensuring the unquestionable quality of Croatian pršut, which will be demonstrated during the Croatian Pršut Days.