ZAGREB, 21 Jan 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković attended a Croatian Island Product award ceremony for 2020 and 2021 in the town of Pag on Pag island on Friday, saying it was a great example of promoting the economy, cuisine, and farm products.

The Croatian Island Product designation is awarded by the Regional Development and EU Funds Ministry. For 2020, it was given to 27 producers for 45 products and for 2021, to 23 producers for 78 products.

The designation is given to applied arts and design products, chemical products, foodstuffs, and beverages.

To date, the designation has been given to 320 producers for 1,094 products from 24 islands.

The prime minister said the islands were part of Croatia's riches and among the most attractive tourist destinations.

"Tourists want a domestic product, the Croatian Island Product. The producers have tried to emancipate all our tradition in a visible and recognizable way," he said, adding that the government has "enhanced the strategic framework of improving life on the islands as well as the legal, program, and financial framework of extending support to the islands."

He recalled that the islands are part of the national development strategy up to 2030.

Had there been no coronavirus, he said, all topics would have focused on climate change, which affects life on the islands. He underlined the green and digital tradition, saying that the latter is a huge opportunity for island people.

"We have opened the labor market to digital nomads as well as to our people. One can actually work from any part of the world via internet platforms. It's necessary to establish a stimulating enterprise infrastructure. There's also nature and environmental protection and the use of renewable energy sources. Everything will continue to be done so that people continue to live on the islands and Pag is one of the brighter examples," Plenković said.

For more, check out our dedicated politics section.

ZAGREB, 3 Jan 2022 - Minister for Regional Development and EU Funds Nataša Tramišak has granted the right for 78 products nominated by 23 producers to be labeled "Croatian Island Product", her ministry said on Monday.

A total of 320 producers of 1,094 products from 24 Croatian Adriatic islands and the Pelješac peninsula now have the right to display the Croatian Island Product designation on their products.

A public call for the award of this designation was open from 7 to 29 October, and 27 applications were submitted by island producers who nominated a total of 86 products.

The products were grouped into four categories - applied art and design (51 products by 10 producers), food products (18 products by 12 producers), chemical products (15 products by 3 producers), and beverages (2 products by as many producers).

The applications were examined by competent commissions, which forwarded their proposals to Minister Tramišak based on which she decided to award the Croatian Island Product designation to 78 new products.

For more, check out Made in Croatia.

Some of the newly announced Croatian Island Product label holders are, of course, coming from the island of Korčula, from Lumbarda, Korčula town, Žrnovo, Blato and Vela Luka. 

The label has been present since 2007, with the idea to allow the promotion of the products created on the Croatian islands. More than 300 producers of the authentic products from 24 Croatian islands are currently allowed to put the label on more than a thousand products.

Even before 2018, many producers from Korčula were on the prestigious list, some ever since the beginning of this promotion, such as Cukarin, but several new producers and products from the island were added to the list this year, on a presentation held on the island of Hvar, as a part of the celebration of the Days of Croatian Tourism.

Sanja Protić from Blato - "Lumblija" cake to-go and extra grape jam
Škatula from Korčula (who we've already written about) - "Karat" Carob Spread and Lumbarajske korkande (fried pastry)
Žrnovski Makaruni association from Žrnovo - traditional pasta
Vlaho Komparak Family Farm - Heather honey
Cukarin - Korčulanska lojenica, a traditional and unique cake from Korčula
Ankica Bažika from Lumbarda - tangerine marmalade and dried fig jam
Vedranka Katić from Korčula - variants of the Smokvun fig deserts
Zlinje, a tavern from Blato - another Lumblija cake
Teo Grbin family farm from Vela Luka for strawberry tree and bitter orange jam, and St. John+s Wort oil
Franica Mandić from Vela luka for her line of nautical rope knot jewellery
Tonči Milišić from Korčula for a traditional hand-made fishing trap

So, now there's more than 20 producers from Korčula, whose dozens of products, including various wines, olive oils, traditional cakes and deserts, liqueurs, jams, vinegars, and other types of souvenirs are given the label of Croatian Island Product, which signifies the quality, innovation and authenticity of the producer and the product. You can see the full catalog of the products, this year's additions included, on this link: .pdf of the catalogue

Island manufacturers will be given 'Croatian Island Products' label for their original island products.

Now more than 630 products from 23 Croatian islands carry this label