NTG Awarded at Culinary Festival in Ivaylovgrad

New Thracian Gold (NTG) got two awards at the first ever Festival of traditional food, livelihood and crafts “Culinary Heritage of Thrace” organized on 1 and 2 September in Ivaylovgrad.

Perko Angelov member of the NTG network got the award for “The most delicious product” for the mix of tahini, honey and wholemeal einkorn flour. This is not  only most delicious, but also the healthiest food product at the Festival, the jury announced. NTG project was awarded with a diploma for its outstanding performance at the event.

Organic and in transition producers of  New Thracian Gold network presented their produce - grapes, wine, nuts, sesame, tahini, honey, apples, herbs and einkorn. The Festival guests stopped at the two project desks to taste and buy Eastern Rhodopean products of the NTG network, but also to share experience with NTG producers – Dimo Karaboyukov, Krassimir Arabadjiev (Kassim), Yonko Todorov, Georgi Shishkov, Petko and Stefka Angelovi and to talk with Vladislav Popov, coordinator on organic farming in the project. Ivaylovgrad Mayor Diana Ovcharova was among the guests  at the NTG desks.

NTG presented many materials published by the project - the Culinary guidebook to the Eastern Rhodopes with local recipes and information about organic producers, tourist brochures and leaflets with information on the region, tourist attractions and visits to local organic farms.

In 2009, the New Thracian Gold project began with seven certified producers. There are currently over 35 producers and processors who are certified or are in conversion to organic, all controlled by certification bodies. This network of farmers is regularly informed about new developments and requirements in organic production, and are consulted individually by organic farming experts in the project and receive regular marketing support. More than 200 people have been informed and trained in organic crop and livestock farming within the NTG training programme in more than 11 training events. Three manuals on organic agriculture (principles and practices, organic herb production and organic plant protection) have been published until 2012 and have been used by the NTG organic producers. 17 farmers and processors were financially supported by the project through a scheme that covers 50% of their organic certification costs for 2011 and gives them an opportunity to apply for Measures 121 and 123 of the Rural Development Programme. In 2012, the project supports the NTG producers with machinery and equipment. The project helps them in making associations to improve the quantity and quality of the organic production in the region.

See here photos from the event