Could Serra da Estrela cheese be added to UNESCO?
According to Joaquim Lé de Matos, the process has two stages: the first related to preparing the application which will be done by their technical team and the second concerns fundraising to support the preparation of the process to be submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
“We already have an identified team and right now we are in the fundraising phase. It is a costly process, but Estrelacoop is taking the steps so that this is a reality”, said the responsible to Lusa during the inauguration of the 46th Fair of Cheese Serra da Estrela de Seia, in the Guarda district, which runs until Tuesday in the Municipal Market and in the surrounding area.
The president of Estrelacoop would like this year to close the process related to the technical team and the sources of funding of the application.
On the other hand, the work of preparing the application “may take a year and a half to two years”.
“I even pointed to 2024 [that we already have the whole process complete, but it’s all work [that’s] still to be done, and we’re going to work on that,” he promised.
Joaquim Lé de Matos said he had already met with “potential people who will be part of the coordination of the technical and scientific team”.
The purpose of Estrelacoop is to recognize the process of “knowing how to make” Serra da Estrela cheese, produced with sheep’s milk from Serra da Estrela or Churra Mondegueira breeds, which dates back to the 11th century.
The responsible added that the application will involve all partners related to the production of the cheese Serra da Estrela DOP, including the Municipal Councils that integrate the Demarcated Region (Carregal do Sal, Celorico da Beira, Algodres Ovens, Gouveia, Mangualde, Manteigas, Nelas, Oliveira do Hospital, Penalva do Castelo, Seia, Aguiar da Beira, Arganil, Covilhã, Guarda, Tábua, Tondela, Trancoso and Viseu).
Estrelacoop, which is based in Celorico da Beira, in the Guarda district, is the DOP…
..