Producers are now able to get official recognition for their traditional food and agricultural products.
A register has been established and a board chaired by the Director of Agriculture will evaluate any Maltese products submitted for inclusion. Registration will be on voluntary basis.
A spokesman for the parliamentary secretariat for agriculture said the initiative could be considered the first step towards official recognition of traditional Maltese products under European quality schemes.
These schemes provide assurance that certain aspects of the product or its production method, as laid down in a specification, have been observed.
Traditional agro-food products are defined as those whose “processing, preservation and ageing methods are consolidated in time and have proven usage on the Maltese market for a period that allows transmission between generations, over a period of not less than 25 years”.
Producers must indicate the area of origin of their product and highlight the ageing methods, materials used for preparation as well as the product’s history and tradition.
Following a 30-day public consultation period, the board will then decide whether the product should be included in the register or not.