Fornos de Algodres holds the Serra da Estrela Cheese Fair this weekend

Daily

Ten producers from the neighboring municipality in the Viseu region will participate in the event. President of the local Chamber calls for better conditions to attract young people to the activity

The Algodres Oven Chamber is promoting the Serra da Estrela Cheese Fair this weekend (22 to 24 March), with a warning about the need for conditions that encourage young people to embrace the activity.

The 45th Serra da Estrela de Fornos de Algodres Cheese Fair takes place from Friday to Sunday at the local Sports Pavilion, as an alternative to the Municipal Market where renovation works are taking place.

“We are going to celebrate Serra da Estrela Cheese, the shepherds, the cheesemakers and all the endogenous products that exist in the municipality”, the president of the Municipal Council of Fornos de Algodres, Manuel Fonseca, told the Lusa agency.

For the mayor, the event is a way of promoting endogenous products, but also of valuing those who live and resist in interior lands, people who create wealth and who are somewhat abandoned by some entities.

“They continue to work here and build their life project. The City Council also has the responsibility of publicizing what is good in the municipality”, he adds.

Manuel Fonseca considered that public entities and the mayors themselves have been very focused on promoting cheese and have “forgotten a lot about production”.

“We are in the 21st century and younger people do not want to have this type of activity because working 365 days a year is not compatible with the standards of a young person who has other types of aspirations, such as having holidays and free time”, highlighted the mayor.

The president of the Chamber defended the need to “create conditions so that those who want to settle in this process can have a different life”.

Manuel Fonseca maintained that it is only possible if family income increases.

“If we can’t increase family income, this is obviously not appealing to younger people.”

The mayor highlighted that “it is a huge challenge” for the current standard to be abandoned and pointed out the opportunity of the new community framework to create “incentive systems” for cheese producers.

“Whoever grows blueberries or potatoes may not work on the weekend and may have a vacation. Anyone who has a flock of sheep has to work every day of the year.”

Manuel Fonseca argued that it is “essential that the focus is to invest in the production of Queijo da Serra”.

At the weekend’s Cheese Fair, ten producers from the municipality will participate. The mayor explained that there are still other dairy producers who sell milk to factories in the region, but that “the number of sheep has decreased in recent years”.

The 45th edition of the Cheese Fair in Fornos de Algodres will be sponsored by chef Chakall. The mayor said he believes that the chef, present in other editions, will give an “important dynamic” to the event.

Manuel Fonseca explained that Chakall will promote cheese and other products from the municipality such as nettles, sausages and honey.

“As he says, the products are so good that they don’t need much processing to make them delicious dishes.”

The Fair’s program includes entertainment and shows with Jorge Guerreiro, Irmãos Coragem, Diatónicos and the first edition of FolkINATEL (Folklore Festival of the INATEL Foundation).

Other initiatives are also scheduled, such as tours of cheese factories and sporting activities. The contest opens this Friday, at 6:30 pm.