Pozegaca Plum Slatko Presidium (Bosnia Herzegovina)

Just a few years ago the once widespread Balkan specialty of slatko – plums preserved in syrup – had almost died out, and was only made by elderly people in parts of Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia. A Slow Food Presidium was formed in 2004 to ensure that slatko did not disappear completely, and to assist rural communities to strengthen their local economies through a product that has strong ties to the culture, landscape and diet.

In 2004, a group of Presidia producers were sponsored to attend the International Salone del Gusto in Italy, where they found their product was very popular. With this encouragement, the producers formed an association and began raising funds to restore their processing and warehouse premises. Today, the workshop is equipped with stoves and other materials that have enabled the quality and safety of slatko to be improved. In addition, the recipe has been better defined in production rules drawn up with the support of technical experts from the Slow Food Foundation.

Sales of slatko have increased steadily since 2005, however the next stages of the project are crucial to ensuring this traditional product gains a secure place on the local and regional market.

In order to increase production, and the number of direct beneficiaries of the project, over the next four years, the Presidia will:
- create new plum orchards and continue restoring old ones to increase the amount of quality fruit available;
- provide training courses for new producers joining the project;
- renovate and equip a new production workshop for the new group of producers.

The cost of delivering the project in 2010 is 11,550 euros, according to the following breakdown:
- Renovation and equipment for the new workshop 2,100 €
- Training courses for producers and plum growers 2,250 €
- Participation at the Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre 5,200 €
- Project Coordination 2,000 €

For further information, click here to view a photo story of this project.