November 4, 2021 – Village tourism or countryside tourism - Seoski tourism in Croatia - offers authentic, traditional experiences. Aleksandra Kuratko, secretary of Udruga ruralnog turizma Hrvatske (Croatian Rural Tourism Association) tells us more about it, and their work to help facilitate it

Croatia's visitor offer is evolving and expanding. There are exciting aspects of authentic Croatia to be discovered. Away from the beach, villages inland often look remarkably similar to how they did one hundred years ago. There, crops are grown and produce made in ways passed down through generations of families. And, in some lucky instances, these family farmers are willing to open their doors, invite you inside and show you how they live.

Bread from the peka at Agroturizam Antunović on Pelješac

Seoski Tourism – translated as either village tourism or countryside tourism – is just that. Family farms that offer hospitality. These are some of the most homely and most welcoming accommodation experiences you can have in Croatia. Offering sights and sounds, tastes and flavours that you can't find anywhere else, visits or stays in Seoski Tourism places have long been loved by locals for weekend breaks or holidays outside peak summer. But, increasingly, these authentic Croatia experiences are being discovered by international visitors.

Moslavina goats at Kezele family farm © Davor Konjikušić

One institution trying to facilitate the growth in interest is Udruga ruralnog turizma Hrvatske - Croatian Rural Tourism Association. Since it was formed in 2016, they have tried to bring together Croatia's family farm hosts, to promote them and educate them, and to build bridges between these independents and tourist boards, tourist agencies, educators and even the wider world outside Croatia.

Seoski turizam Kezele in Šumećani, on the border of Zagreb County and Bjelovar Bilogora County © Davor Konjikušić

Based in Ivanić-Grad, Zagreb County, the Croatian Rural Tourism Association is currently touring the length and breadth of the country, holding workshops with as many Seoski Tourism family farms that will come. And if the farmwork doesn't allow them free time, then they can attend Croatian Rural Tourism Association workshops online.

On the eve of the association's online Seoski Tourism workshops for Central Croatia and Slavonia, TCN interviewed Aleksandra Kuratko, secretary of Udruga ruralnog turizma Hrvatske, to find out more about Seoski Tourism in Croatia.

Prigorje specialties at Rakić family farm

My name is Aleksandra Kuratko and I am secretary of Udruga ruralnog turizma Hrvatske. As an association, we are 5 years old.

We have 35 members, most of whom are service providers in what we call Seoski Tourism. We also have several tourist boards and two educational institutions as members.

Bilogora horses in autumn at Agroturizam Na malenom brijegu © Vladimir Vlajinić

Seoski tourism is not quite the same as rural tourism, because rural tourism is many different types of tourism that happen in rural areas. Seoski tourism - which you might translate as village tourism - is quite specific. We assemble people who work in agriculture and who, at the same time, are also offering hospitality. In English, you might call them Farm Stays. Or Agro-tourism – a merging of agriculture and tourism.

Fresh vegetables at Agroturizam Antunović on Pelješac

People who work on agricultural estates often take care of local cultural heritage. For example, they might maintain and renew traditional wooden or stone houses. Many also have etno collections, in which they preserve different objects from their region. Some of these objects might have been used in agriculture and households hundreds of years ago. So, they are preserving the cultural heritage of Croatian villages. This is what we call material cultural heritage. But, there's another kind.

Cultural heritage preserved in one Slavonian village © Mario Romulić

Non-material cultural heritage is also a part. That might be preserving old recipes of traditional, regionally-specific dishes. Or, it might be showcasing the songs and dance of local music.

We are currently running a project which is supported by the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sports in which we hold 37 Seoski Tourism workshops in the field all over Croatia. There will also be around 15 online workshops. The workshops are aimed at colleagues who currently operate in Seoski Tourism – they work in agriculture and offer hospitality. Also invited are local tourist boards and local action groups.

Photo from URTH workshop in Slatina

So far, we conducted 20 workshops in the regions of Central Croatia, Slavonia and Baranja, and Podunavlje. From next week until the end of the year, we will conduct the workshops in Istria, Kvarner, Lika and Dalmatia. Some service providers were not able to attend earlier workshops, because of work commitments of Covid. So, we decided to also offer access to the workshops online. Tomorrow is our first online workshop for Central Croatia and on Friday it's the online workshop for Slavonia.

These workshops are interactive discussions between our association, service providers and all other stakeholders. We discuss the legislative framework, which can be extremely complex. We talk about new trends in tourism for the post-pandemic era. We also discuss the importance of integrating cultural heritage in digital promotion.

Donkey farm at Agroturizam Antunović on Pelješac

For the legislative framework, we have initiated the formation of a working group for the development of Seoski Tourism, which is now operating in the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sports. So, at the workshops, we ask if anyone is having issues. We collect the responses and address them in the working group.

Part of the workshop is the presentation of a new web application of Seoski Tourism, which we have developed with Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sports. It has two purposes. One is to create a digital catalogue of Croatian Seoski Tourism. You can see region by region some of the Seoski Tourism options – currently around 40, those who have already enrolled.

Podravina Etno rooms at Zlatni klas Otrovanec

A version of the app is currently available on the website of the National Tourist Board. But, they are building a new website. The forthcoming version of the catalogue will likely be more user-friendly with many more functions and options. On the new website, Croatia's Seoski Tourism options will be detailed in many different languages. It should be a great resource not only for tourists but for travel agencies, journalists like you and for educational institutions. That's the reason we are devoting time in our workshops to encourage Seoski Tourism providers to enroll. We are just at the beginning of the process.

Grešna pilnica in Zagorje © Jasna Podboj

The second purpose of the app is to collect information about the service providers. This info will be used by our working group when defining a Croatian model of Seoski Tourism. So far, we have taken examples from Slovenia, Italy and other countries that are successful with Seoski Tourism. But, these models were entered into our legislative system without fully considering our distinct business and cultural environments. That is now about to change.

We are very happy that, following many years of partially successful advocacy, there is now political will at a ministerial level to really shape things up, to change the laws and regulations in order to facilitate Seoski Tourism. We want to encourage more Seoski Tourism, not to have people from agriculture being turned away because of the difficulty of the process and bureaucracy.

Medieval Theme Park San Michael © Silvia Otočan

You said part of the workshops will focus on new trends. What are some of these?

Research has been done by a working group that is developing a new tourism strategy for Croatia. It's called Strategy for Sustainable Tourism to 2030. Under the auspices of this group, a number of research fields have been analysed.

The collected data shows that a huge percentage of tourists are now more inclined to eat locally grown and healthy food. They want to spend their time on estates that are run in accordance with ecological principles. So, they really care about issues like how waste is disposed of etc. They also pay a lot of attention to culture. They are curious to learn exactly how we are living, how we are working and how we produce things. They want to learn about our society and culture. And, importantly, they really care about how they spend their money. Above all, they want to spend money in areas that can help support local communities.

Prigorje Breakfast at Rakić Family Farm

For us, this is really important. Because Seoski Tourism answers these demands to an incredibly high level. We do produce local, healthy food. Not only on the agricultural estates where you can experience Seoski Tourism, but also from their neighbours who just do agriculture. We are concerned with ecology, we protect cultural heritage and the money spent in Seoski Tourism stays in local communities, where it has very beneficial effects.

In the digital promotion part of the workshops we are trying to persuade people about the importance of their online presence. Basically, these days, if you're not online, it's almost like you don't exist. So, we try to explain the importance of having good-quality photos, short videos and a regular online presence.

Kulen, čvarci and other specialties at Baranjska kuća © Denis Despot

That's interesting. In some cases, it might be like two different worlds colliding - people who work in a traditional industry and a traditional environment having to adapt to a very modern way of operating. There's also another potential collision when providers learn of the expectations within modern tourism. Because these people can no longer just work in agriculture. To operate in Seoski Tourism, you're also very much expected to also be a host.

Yes. All of our current service providers who are successful within Seoski Tourism are also great hosts. It's essential. You can see it in almost all of the reviews for this kind of tourism. Guests come for the food and drinks and surroundings, yes. But, what they value the most, what they remember the most, is the host part of the experience. On the estates of Croatian Seoski Tourism, guests are welcomed like family. Across all of Croatian tourism we are expected to be good hosts. It's part of our reputation and the reason why many people come here from all over the world. In Seoski Tourism, it is vital we live up to those expectations.

Kezele family farm © Davor Konjikušić

Another aspect of this, which is a more recently-observed element, is that visitors often want an insight into the actual lives, even the personalities of their hosts. They want not only to taste the homemade sausages you make, but they also want to know how you do it, where you do it, how you learned to do that. When they go to Spain, they want to know how the people there make their wine. And, when they come to Croatia, they want to learn how we do it here.

So, all in all, those of us in Seoski Tourism are really busy. We are in agriculture, yes, but we are also in tourism and we are also online. With this more recently-observed aspect, we will need to try and devote even more time to our hosting. It can be difficult to balance the demands on your time. But, in our workshops, we are trying to persuade people to talk more about themselves, their lives, their cultural heritage. And, if there isn't time to do everything themselves, then to involve different and often younger generations of the family. Sometimes within the hosting or alternatively just with the online promotion and presence.

Kezele family farm ethno collection © Davor Konjikušić

I've visited some family farms that were right at the start of their journey with Seoski Tourism and they seemed surprised that I was at all interested in what they do and how they do it. I think maybe they thought I was a bit crazy.

Yes, that is a response we sometimes also see at first. I think it's because our generation takes a lot of things for granted. We sometimes think that what we do is just what we do. We are not so good at showcasing it. “Why would I show someone how I make my cheese? I make my cheese like my grandmother used to make it” But, for those who open their doors to Seoski Tourism, inquiries about how they do what they do are only increasing. So, they seem to appreciate how we advise them in the workshops.

Picnic by Restaurant Međimurski dvori © Igor Nobilo

We are trying to let our producers know that Seoski Tourism is not just a platform to sell their produce and an overnight stay, but it's a full experience they can sell. There are agricultural farms in Austria that are established in tourism that you must pay only to visit. Of course, that doesn't happen currently anywhere in Croatia, even though some of our Seoski Tourism estates have sections that look like museums.

Some of these aspects are very new. And the feedback is great. I truly believe there are hidden treasures to be discovered in some Croatian villages. We are here to tell that story.

Selection of food from a Slavonian village © Mario Romulić

What is so rewarding about Croatian Seoski Tourism that international visitors would want to go to a traditional farm in some inland village instead of lying on the beach in Dalmatia for 14 days?

People come because they really want to see a different side of Croatia. And, there are many different aspects of Croatia to discover – not just Seoski Tourism, but also National Parks and Nature Parks. All of our current trends show us that more and more tourists are willing to come inland from the coast or to explore a different part of Croatia – inland Istria, for example, or continental Croatia.

Kamačnik river canyon © Aleksandra Kuratko Pani

They really want to try authentic, local food. They want to eat healthy, to know what they are eating and how it is made. And, they want to experience flavours that are different from the usual ones they get from the supermarket.

Traditional Međimurje table at Etno restaurant Međimurski dvori

Also, I would say that with Seoski Tourism, people get to know better an authentic version of Croatia and its culture. It's a story we hear very often from our members. Some of them are visited by large groups from cruisers. These are people who might be on a cruise on the Adriatic and who journey inland for a day trip. Or, it might be a group who are cruising the Danube and disembark to visit a family farm in Slavonia, Baranja or Srijem.

Prosciutto from Drniš at Agrotourism Kalpić © Ivana Kalpić

When they visit farming estates on day trips, it's very often a huge 'wow' moment for them. For many, in their minds, Croatia is simply sun and sea. And that's not entirely their fault. We, as a country, have done very little until now to promote alternative sides of Croatia. The visitors experience these wow moments because of the hospitality they receive and because of the tangible aspect of the visit. This is a modern aspect – people want to touch things, know how things feel, taste, smell. They want to ride on horses or feed them. Or take part in cultural activities. These parts of a visit to Seoski Tourism are very difficult to experience anywhere else.

(left) Ivana Alilović, director of Zagreb County Tourist Board (right) Aleksandra Kuratko, secretary of Udruga ruralnog turizma Hrvatske (Croatian Rural Tourism Association) © Zagreb County

Udruga ruralnog turizma Hrvatske's online Seoski Tourism workshops begin today and their physical workshops continue next week in Istria.

If you'd like to read more about rural tourism in Croatia, then look here

May 13, 2021 – OPG Čudesna šuma: How an unexpected turn of events helped world-renowned photographer Mario Romulić realise his lifelong dream.

War and genocide and the aftermath. Famine. Disease. Death. In a former life, harrowing images filled the lens of internationally renowned photographer Mario Romulić. But thankfully, we're now far from such scenes.

In fact, at OPG Čudesna šuma - Mario Romulić's home and family farm - we're pretty much far from everything. One other eco-farm is his only neighbour. Well, unless you count the llamas the Romulić family keep out back. Occasionally, through the rich green of surrounding trees, you see birds flying above the branches. Probably they're toing and froing from Kopački rit. The nearby Nature Park is less than a kilometre from OPG Čudesna šuma. Famously, the wetlands are home to over 250 species of birds. They are also the reason why Mario Romulić is here.

Kopački rit Nature Park © Kopački rit Nature Park.

“Back then, I was very occupied with Kopački rit,” remembers Mario of the time, 21 years ago, when he moved to what is now OPG Čudesna šuma. “I was working as a cameraman for people like Reuters, all over the world. The assignments would last 7-10 days and I'd be in places like Afghanistan, Rwanda, Congo, Liberia, Bosnia. It was often quite dangerous. For the next 20 days, I would spend a lot of time in Kopački rit, trying to calm my nerves. It was something like a cure after seeing all these horrible scenes. Eventually, instead of travelling every day from my home in Osijek to Kopački rit, I decided to try and find something close by. And this is what I found.”

Just as this beautiful, natural landscape in Bilje, Baranja once served as a peaceful getaway for Mario Romulić, his OPG Čudesna šuma today does the same for others. Because, after dreaming for two decades of turning this blissful plot and homestead into a forest farm and eco-village, Mario Romulić is finally turning that vision into a reality.

The impossibly pretty OPG Čudesna near Kopački rit Nature Park, Bilje Municipality, Baranja © OPG Čudesna šuma.

“Because of my job - first, travelling all around the world, then travelling Croatia - I did not even have much time to think about it, let alone do it,” says Mario. “But, then Corona came. Finally, I found myself at home. At last, I had time to work on my dream.”

OPG Čudesna šuma in the Month of Baranja Cooking (Mjesec baranjske kuhinje)

A group of 30 or so are Mario's guests today at OPG Čudesna šuma. They're here for a presentation of speciality cooking. It's the grand finale of the Month of Baranja Cooking (Mjesec baranjske kuhinje).

Over previous weeks, OPGs from all across the region have welcomed guests to try goulash, soups, stews, perklet and other traditional foods of the area. While visiting, they've been embraced by the beautiful landscape of Baranja. Not only have they discovered how this delightful, distinct cuisine tastes, but also they've learned exactly how it's prepared. However, they've evidently saved the best for last. On the menu today, river fish inventively cooked, accompanied by a riotous rainbow of seasonal vegetables.

Seasonal vegetables of Baranja in springtime at the Month of Baranja Cooking (Mjesec baranjske kuhinje) © OPG Čudesna šuma.

It's a beautifully sunny day, right at the start of May. It depends on your preference, but looking across this happy vista in the glorious sunshine, it's difficult to imagine this not being the perfect time to be in Baranja. Young children are raised to chest height by their parents so they can meet Mario's free-roaming llamas face-to-face. The children's faces flit between surprise, curiosity and delight. The llamas return their stare. They're used to welcoming new guests.

Meeting the Romulić family llamas at OPG Čudesna šuma © Turistička zajednica Općine Bilje - Kopački rit.

Partially shaded by trees, the smiling adult guests sit casually on wooden benches around a central, outdoor cooking area. Several open fires display a range of traditional cooking methods. Steam rises from a cast-iron stove suspended over one. Beneath the vapours, you can make out the dish is fish paprikash. It's unmistakable because of the deeply red coloured bubbles, a result of generous amounts of paprika.

Guests enjoy a warm springtime day at OPG Čudesna šuma during the Month of Baranja Cooking (Mjesec baranjske kuhinje), as fish paprikas cooks over an open fire © OPG Čudesna šuma.

A huge bag of this paprika sits propped up, close by. It's from another organic OPG, just a kilometre or so from here. The colour is vivid, impossibly red, unrecognisable from anything store-bought. At the next fire, pike impaled on wooden sticks are placed far enough from the flickering flames so they cook slowly and do not burn.

Pike impaled on sticks, cooking by an open fire at OPG Čudesna šuma @ Marc Rowlands.

In the outdoor kitchen, Mario Romulić's co-chefs prepare an unending supply of fish dishes and vegetables. Carp, catfish, trout, bream. There's a bounty of fresh asparagus. It's that time of year. With the restraint of experience, they've cooked it perfectly. After the crunch of the bite, the flavour explodes. They're seasoned simply – delicious olive oil and sea salt.

Seasonal asparagus, perfectly cooked, served with smoked river fish © Marc Rowlands.

A group of peers – accomplished chefs from Osijek-Baranja restaurants – peak over the shoulders of Romulić's co-chefs. They're admiring the inventive techniques employed. Although, being chefs, they can't help themselves. They end up briefly forgetting their families in order to help out.

Mario Romulić, the host with the most

Mario Romulić © Turistička zajednica Općine Bilje - Kopački rit.

After all the guests arrive, Mario Romulić holds court. Cheerily he welcomes us all to OPG Čudesna šuma and the event. Without question, the success of rural, village tourism depends on the personalities of the hosts. It's no good plonking a group of visitors in a pretty place and throwing some food in front of them. We've all seen trees, grass and food before. Rural tourism is not just about the place, it's about the experience, the ambience. And, especially, it's about the people.

Hands down, the OPGs of Slavonia and Baranja are the best in Croatia at this. The folks here are famous for their friendliness, warm welcome and big personalities. And, Mario Romulić has one of the biggest of them all.

In the research for this reportage, looking back at archive pictures of Mario Romulić is startling. During his years spent as an international photographer, he himself has been photographed many times – on assignment in distant countries, at the opening of exhibitions that have showcased his celebrated work. In most, there's an intensity to his stare. It's sometimes difficult to look at. He looks like a man who has tales you never want to hear, like a man who has seen too much.

(L- R) OPG Čudesna šuma co-chef at the event Mihael Tomić, renowned Osijek chef Ivan Đukić currently of Osijek's Lipov Hlad and a happy Mario Romulić © Turistička zajednica Općine Bilje - Kopački rit.

By comparison, the Mario Romulić that welcomes us at OPG Čudesna šuma today is unrecognisable. Sure, there's a little more grey to his long hair and beard but, otherwise, he looks incredibly healthy and happy. The intense stare is gone, replaced by a warm, wide smile that shows across his entire face. Even in early May, he has a darkened skin tone, the telltale signs of a man who spends much of the day outdoors. Romulić's enthusiasm for his guests and the event is palpable. After his sincere welcome, this enthusiasm is immediately transferred to each of his guests.

Mrs Romulić ensures everyone's glass is overflowing with wine or juice. One of Mario's teenage sons helps out with the food, while the other is taking photographs of the event. Well, someone has to do the photography now that dad wants to be a chef and host! Mario himself is engulfed in smoke. Among the other duties he's assumed today, Mario is tending a smoker. Without a doubt, this is the most revelatory cooking method we meet today.

Mario Romulić tends to smoked river fish, a revelatory gastronomic experience at OPG Čudesna šuma © Marc Rowlands.

Smoked fish of Slavonia and Baranja at OPG Čudesna šuma

An American-style smoker, loaded with river fish. TOP TIP: A great way to stop fish sticking to the grill of your barbecue or smoker is to place them on top of a layer of lemon slices © OPG Čudesna šuma.

“We do have smoked fish here, but not in this way,” he says. “This is more like an American grill. I never heard of anyone trying Baranja cooking like this. Actually, I never heard of anyone nearby who has a smoker like this. The first time I tried stuka (pike) in the smoker, that was unbelievable. It's incomparable, really special.”

Exquisite presentation of river fish by the enthusiastic team of OPG Čudesna šuma © Turistička zajednica Općine Bilje - Kopački rit.

“In Slavonia and Baranja, there are just a few ways we usually cook our river fish - carp on sticks, fish paprikash, perklet and fried fish. So, we tried something new, to expand the palette. For instance, almost nobody eats Babuška (a type of carp). They feed it instead to their pigs. It costs 5 kuna a kilo! But, if you cook it in this completely natural way, it's delicious.”

More river fish, cooked by the team of OPG Čudesna šuma © Turistička zajednica Općine Bilje - Kopački rit.

He's not wrong. Today's mountain of different smoked fish is the talk on most of the adult lips. The rich flavours surprise. Compliments and returns for second helpings ensue. Mario stands to one side, happily watching as his smoked fish secret escapes. In the future, he plans similar events based on other regional foods - Black Slavonian pig, wild meats like deer or boar. Eventually, in the seven hectares of land he owns here, he would like to expand OPG Čudesna šuma as an eco-village, with beds for visitors, a natural swimming pool and then surround it with a food forest. Big plans. It looks as though the camera may stay more permanently in the hands of his son. Because it's difficult to imagine Mario Romulić leaving his happy place and the realisation of his long-held dream.

Mario Romulić in his happy place, with a friend © OPG Čudesna šuma.

Both the author and Total Croatia News would like to thank the following for their invaluable help in creating this article: Ivana Jurić and the Tourist Board of Osijek-Baranja County, OPG Čudesna šuma, Mario Romulić and family, Renata Forjan and Turistička zajednica Općine Bilje - Kopački rit and Domagoj Butković of expert travel guides to Slavonia and Baranja, Kulen travel.

February 12, 2021 – Marija Cafuk, who successfully lead the campaign to have Varazdin cabbage protected by the EU, has been shortlisted for the award of Most Innovative Woman in European Agriculture. She used the opportunity to voice her concerns for Croatia's small producers under proposed new changes in the laws on seeds

Inexpensive and packed with nutrients and vitamins C + K, the humble cabbage is a staple part of the Croatian diet. One of its most famous varieties is Varazdin cabbage (Varaždinsko zelje), which is protected at a European level as distinct in coming from its point of origin.

Varazdin cabbage's successful entry into European protection is in no way thanks to the efforts of Varazdin resident Marija Cafuk, who is the custodian of Varazdin cabbage seeds and the only person in Croatia who is licensed to sell them. For her efforts, she has now been shortlisted by the European Association of Agricultural Producers Copa Cogeca for the award of Most Innovative Woman in European agriculture.

According to Copa Cogeca, the award aims to highlight the contribution that women make to rural development and the development of new models of food production in the context of climate change and environmental protection.

“Of course, I was pleasantly surprised by the nomination, which I think is a recognition of the long struggle to preserve our Varazdin cabbage seeds in conditions when we lost the last companies that were engaged in seed production and (had to) depend on imports,” Mrs. Cafuk told journalist Zlatko Simic in a recent interview with Jutarnji List. “You know how many conditions we had to meet in order for our seeds to be on the variety list! Let the EU see that there are people in our country who want to preserve their indigenous varieties for future generations.”

The latter part of her comment to the journalist refers to the proposed changes in seed registration laws that are looming on the horizon at both a national and an EU level. Small producers and family farms in Croatia are concerned about the loss of traditional seed varieties and their abilities to grow from them under the conditions of the changes in legislation.

Varazdin cabbage (Varaždinsko zelje) and its seeds © Varazdin County Tourist Board

“The problem is not only in paying the large costs we have in controlling the sowing of our certified seeds,” Mrs. Cafuk told the journalist, expanding on the matter of the changing seed laws, “but also in increasing the costs we may have if we had to deliver all the seeds we produce for processing, as (will be) required by law.”

Mrs. Cafuk told the journalist she hopes that the ongoing and popular protests and petitions of associations that keep domestic seeds will lead to a positive outcome in regards to the proposed national changes. Of course, she was speaking on behalf of seed custodians and small producers all over Croatia. Having attained its European protection already, Varazdin cabbage and Mrs Cafuk's enterprises are already safe.

Varazdin cabbage is one of two kinds of Croatian cabbage protected by the EU

There are in fact two types of Croatian cabbage protected at the European level – Varazdin cabbage and cabbage from Ogulin. But, whereas Varazdin cabbage is protected in its raw, unprocessed form, the cabbage from Ogulin is protected as a product after its fermentation (it is made into what is sometimes called sauerkraut).

In 2015, when the application was made to European authorities to protect Varazdin cabbage, a notice of opposition was lodged from nearby Slovenia. Slovenia had added new cabbage varieties to its national variety register in 2012 under the names ‘Varazdinsko 2’ and ‘Varazdinsko 3'. Varazdin is a centuries-old town in northern Croatia.

The notice of opposition was discounted. The EU office responsible for protecting new varieties did not consider Varazdinsko 2 and Varazdinsko 3 to be appropriate names, as they suggested a link to a geographical area with which they had no direct connection and to that extent were confusing to consumers. With this impasse of international cabbage recognition finally overcome, Varazdin cabbage was granted its European protection.

January 15, 2021 – The EU is being backed into a corner by the giants of globalised agriculture. Pre-empting a change in EU-farming directives, a new bill before the Croatian parliament seeks to regulate seed use for the country's farmers, putting at risk Croatia's distinct, regional produce and the country's famous cuisine. TCN interviews one of those leading the fight for Croatia's produce and cuisine.

Question: When is a tomato not a tomato? Answer: When it is a Croatian tomato.

Confused? Well, if you're from Croatia and never much left the country or region, you might be. But, if you're from western Europe or America and you've enjoyed a visit to Croatia, you'll know exactly what this means. As will any Croats who have emigrated to supposedly more 'developed' parts of the world. Food just doesn't taste the same in those places.

The efforts of small-scale producers, family afrmers and those preserving distinct, traditional crops help give Croatia's produce and cuisine its unique reputation and flavour

As TCN touched on in our recent feature about food prices in Croatia (and its impact on health), in the supermarkets of western Europe and in America, everything is available, all of the time. People live in a globalised marketplace where seasonal availability is meaningless when your country and its giant supermarket brands have the power to export from anywhere. But, though everything is always available in these supermarkets, not everything on display is what it seems to be.

In Dalmatia, they like to pride themselves on a generally very simple approach to cooking. Good olive oil, salt, maybe a dash of fresh lemon, garlic and parsley is all you need to make a meal sing. And the surprised, delighted faces of their customers tell them they are right. But, that's far from the full story. It is not the simple approach to seasoning, spicing and condiments alone that brings Dalmatian cuisine to life, it is the base ingredients themselves.

The blitva (chard) stewed in potato, that so easy yet unreproducible shredded cabbage salad, and the similarly simple tomato salad are spectacular to visitors because their main ingredients sing. They sing in way that vegetables bought in supermarkets in western Europe and America do not. They do so because, in Croatia, you can easily choose to eat locally grown, seasonal vegetables and fruits. And these taste a whole lot better than the industrially farmed products that line the shelves in other regions. That's why, in Croatia, a tomato still tastes like a tomato. Whereas a tomato from a supermarket elsewhere tastes like... nothing.

Countless unclassified regional varieties of vegetables and fruits, often grown by small-scale producers or on family farms (OPGs) help give Croatia's produce and cuisine this incredible reputation among visitors. But, as the multi-billion dollar, globalised industry of farming-without-season extends its grip around the world, it is the rights of these distinct farmers which is most at threat.

The European Union is attempting to change its laws and directives for the regulation of seed use within all member states. Pressured by the enormous powers of the global agricultural industry, and partially in an attempt to protect its farmers, it wishes to adopt new laws or regulations to replace extremely outdated earlier versions. Pre-empting this change, a law has been put before the Croatian parliament which seeks to regulate seed use in Croatia. It's a rather complicated piece of legislation and is currently only at the stage of proposal.

Changes to the laws of seed registration at a national and EU level, partly in response to the demands of the globalised agricultural industry, threaten Croatia's produce and cuisine

Monitoring the proposed changes are an army of environmental activists, small-scale producers, family farmers, gardeners and concerned citizens. Spearheaded by three organisations – The Croatian Organic Farmers Association, Life - an organisation of small scale farmers, and Bio-Garden, an organisation made up of gardeners and seed savers - a petition has this week been put before the Croatian parliament objecting to several elements of the proposed new legislation. Earning the support of some 77 Croatian organisations, including farming groups, cattle breeders, plant growers, a network of environmental organisations, permaculture initiatives, gardeners' organisations and even the Chamber of Agriculture, which includes all the farmers inside Croatia, the petitioning of parliament has galvanised many different people in its objection. They say that the proposed new legislation will remove the rights and freedoms of small scale producers and family farms to use their own seeds. This will radically affect Croatia's produce and cuisine.

It is doubtless that there is a worldwide trend, pushing everyone who grows towards buying seeds from globalised agricultural giants. And so, while the response from a broad group of those immediately concerned is impressive enough, awareness of the issue needs to extend much further. It should include every Dalmatian tavern owner and chef who delights a foreign visitor. It should include every single person in Croatia who buys food from a public marketplace. It should include everyone who takes pride in home cooking. It should include the entire tourism industry of Croatia and every visitor to Croatia who has ever enjoyed the food here. Because it is the very distinctive, authentic and traditional nature of Croatia's produce and cuisine that is at stake. Croatia is at real risk of losing the flavour of its food.

“Let me start 10, 000 years ago, when agriculture first started. That's when people learned how to save seeds,” explains Sunčana Pešak, a graduate of Zagreb University's Agriculture Faculty and a member of the three combined groups objecting to the proposed new law. “What these people learned was to save the seeds only from the best part of the harvest. That's what they would use to grow the next season. That's how farming always was. And, it's the way that we got all of the genetic diversity of all the grown foods we eat.”

Sunčana Pešak, a graduate of Zagreb University's Agriculture Faculty and a member of the three combined groups defending Croatia's produce and cuisine by objecting to the proposed new seed law

That way of saving seeds still exists. It's what all gardeners and small-scale farmers use. But, now there is something new – industrial farming. They have a different way of saving seeds. This involves a scientific approach to breeding and an industrial approach to growing and harvesting. This is problematic because only around 10 companies in the whole world own the rights to the scientifically manufactured seeds used on this scale of farming. They own the patent rights to the seeds they have created. And, they always want their profits from their seeds being used. These companies are the same ones who produce the chemicals used in industrial farming. They control most of the seed market all over the world.”

The current problems facing small-scale producers and family farmers, brought to a head by the proposed new law in Croatia, essentially come from a clash between industrial-level seed breeders, who control the global market and who demand royalties on their patented seeds, and farmers who just want to grow.

“The term 'Seed variety' itself is a commercial term,” explains Sunčana. “This is something that can be described and catalogued as distinct. All of the plants and their fruits needs to look the same to be identified as this variety. In this way, it can be marketed. But, for people who grow from their own indigenous seeds, in their own traditional ways, their crop is much more diverse.”

“For example, in Croatia, before seed breeding started, people just grew from their own seeds. They would exchange seeds among themselves and eventually each village had its own unique varieties of crops. You could go 20 minutes down the road and the carrots that were grown in the next village were completely different to the ones you grow in your own. Some of the carrots were big, some small, some looked weird, some took on a white colour because they mixed with the wild-growing varieties. Also, as a small producer, you might employ the use of a combination of seed. You plant it and when it grows you get completely different kinds of plants. People might have a winter mix and a summer mix. It ensures diversity in growing and in the diet. Even with grains, by planting a mixture you might ensure a harvest is more resistant to a pest or a weather intervention. One element of the proposed new law would prevent those kinds of mixtures being planted and we would lose completely the initiative and experience of farmers who do so.”

“They proposed new seed law seeks to regulate everything. The demands asked of small scale farmers under it are the same one asked of industrial-scale farmers – they are all placed on the same footing. If you want to use a seed of your own, you have to register those traditional varieties in a system that is currently undefined. Why? Just let people grow. It is their right.”

The groups objecting to the proposed new law in Croatia have found some allies in their fight. Small scale producers and the owners of family farms around the world have been battling against the monopolisation of the farming industry by a handful of globalised giants for many years. They are organised and have teams of lawyers working on their behalf. They have lent support to Croatia's collective of objectors in their fight, helping to point out that the new proposed law goes against the rights not only of EU citizens but against global human rights. "States shall recognize the rights of peasants to rely either on their own seeds or on other locally available seeds of their choice, and to decide on the crops and species that they wish to grow." says the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas.

Traditional farming and time-honoured seed varieties help make Croatia's produce and cuisine unique in Europe. Croatia currently stands strong against the pressure from globalised agriculture to accept GMO produce. Can it stand as strong against its demands for new registrations of seeds?

“The risk is huge,” says Sunčana, when asked what might happen to Croatia's produce and cuisine if the proposed new law passes without objection. “In just the last 100 years we lost 75% of our genetic biodiversity. That happened quite simply because people started buying seeds instead of saving them and then growing their own. All of the seeds that are now grown are quite alike. They take varieties that are proven to be the best, to grow to a maximum yield, to be resistant to pests and weather and which can grow successfully in all the different climates of the world. These are varieties that are standardised, well suited to industrial farming – they all ripen at exactly the same time, assisting mechanised harvesting. But, that logic does not always suit small scale farms, where you might need to grow from seeds whose plants reach maturity over an extended period. This gives you many weeks of opportunity to harvest and to sell on different market days.”

But, it isn't just a loss to the convenience of family farmers that would be enforced by the new law. Nor it is solely a matter of losing the tastes of traditional varieties of vegetables and fruits within Croatia's produce and cuisine. The loss to our collective health from this massive reduction in the variety of genetic biodiversity in our diet is currently unknown. Future effects could be catastrophic. Not only that, we could rapidly be losing crop varieties that might better adapt to the new conditions that will be imminently brought about by climate change.

“People with small farms already have enough trouble dealing with bureaucracy and administration. There's no way that all of Croatia's growers will go through the timely ordeal of registering every seed we have,” explains Sunčana, detailing another stipulation that lies within the proposed new change of law. If growers don't wish to register their own distinct varieties - which may have been preserved within their families or communities for generations, they always have the option of going to the National seed bank and taking from there, seeds that have already been registered. Unfortunately, only 27 such seeds exist within Croatia. And the seed bank can only supply such a small amount that it may take a small scale farm several years to build up the supply they need for their business.

The proposed new change of law in Croatia is extremely complicated, as will be the procedures and demands on growers if it passes. The change in seed regulation at an EU level could be similarly restrictive to non-industrial farmers and growers. But, though it is the Croatian government – and then the lawmakers of the EU – who will be addressed by the objections of farmers, growers, gardeners and biodiversity organisations, it is ultimately the profits of a small cabal of globalised and increasingly industrial agricultural/chemical giants which lie at the heart of the demand for change. They are a force of near incomparable strength.

On the surface, the issue of seed regulation might appear to really matter only to those who have a small to medium-sized business growing tomatoes or similar. But, the reality is that this issue concerns us all - everyone who puts a tomato on their fork, on their children's plate or on the table of an overseas visitor who will never forget the distinct flavour of Croatian food. It is the flavour of the future, and the reputation of Croatia's produce and cuisine, for which the fight is currently being made.

January 9, 2021 – The area affected by the devastating earthquake of 29 December 2020 is mostly rural. People there live off the land. They employ others at family farms and as small scale producers. Ordering from a Petrinja OPG or one from the surroundings directly helps families and the economy of the earthquake-affected area, so here's a list detailing them

Alongside the outpourings of sympathy and promise of prayers, since the large earthquakes of December 2020 struck Sisak-Moslavina County, Total Croatia News has been inundated with requests from regular readers and other asking how they can directly and effectively help. TCN has tried to answer all enquiries the best we can and has striven towards directing donors to the best-placed outlets.

Certainly, the rebuild of the communities and economies in places like Petrinja, Glina, Sisak and hundreds of surrounding villages, hamlets and settlements will take months, even years. As TCN discovered after we visited the affected region one day after the earthquake, this area is predominantly rural. People here live off the land, from agricultural endeavours. Small producers and family farms make up much of the economy. In a year where such producers have been hard hit by travel restrictions and other aspects of the pandemic, the livelihoods of many have been shattered by the subsequent earthquake.

In a pro-active, helpful and exhaustive piece of data collection, writer Antonia Dobrota and the team at Croatian-language tourism portal cimerfraj have over recent days come up with an inspired suggestion of how [people can directly help the economies and people of the affected region. They have published a list of as many small producers, family farms and Petrinja OPG producers, plus those in surrounding areas.

By ordering food, produce and goods like pottery from this list, people can spend their money directly within the economies of the affected area – no suspicion, no doubt, no middlemen, no staffing costs deducted. It is an inspired decision to construct (and continually update) such a list. Bravo, Antonia and cimerfraj! Several Croatian-language media outlets have since republished the list. Total Croatia News is pleased to do so in English. We warmly encourage its use, not only now, but in the months that follow.

Being small producers and family farms, most of the producers below are not only vital to others in the local communities (by offering employment opportunities), their goods are almost exclusively organic and produced in a traditional, eco-friendly manner. Any orders should be submitted with the utmost confidence.

(OPG is a designation in Croatia that is given specifically to family farms and small, community producers)

OPG Mladen Tonković
Gornji Vidusevac 2a, Glina
095 8069 822
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Products: hazelnuts

OPG Predrag Đurđević
Stjepana Radića 168, Petrinja OPG
091 5853 717
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Products: honey, bee products

OPG Vicencinović Hergouth
Stari put 28, Gornja Gračenica
098 9817 696 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products: liqueurs, fruit brandies

OPG Naglić
Kompator 34, Velika Ludina
091 5437 949
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Products: organic fruit

OPG Pčelarstvo Crneković
Kornatska 20, Sisak
091 8913 248
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Products: honey, bee products

OPG Tomislav Marcinek
Mate Vezmara 25, Voloder
098 9043 165
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Products: sheep, chicken and rabbit breeding

Family farm Zeljko Perkovic
Timarci 117, Sunja
091 5887 753
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Products: sheep

OPG Oljačić
Dragutina Benka 12, Petrinja OPG
098 1861 397
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Products: seasonal fruits and vegetables

OPG Horžić
Vladimira Nazora 26, Sunja
099 4600 210
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Products: meat and eggs

OPG Abramović
Franje Zuzeka 17, Glina
098 638 455
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Products: mulch, honey and beekeeping products

OPG Leci
Tadije Smičiklasa 34, Petrinja OPG
091 1502 732
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Products: chokeberry / ariona berry and fruit jams, chokeberry / ariona berry juice

OPG Mikliš
Desno Trabarjevo 39, Martinska Ves
098 615 011
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Products: chickens, ducks, turkeys, chickens, eggs

OPG Ivanković
Martinska Ves 124, Martinska Ves
095 3992 217
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Products: hazelnut, beans, orange sweet potato

OPG Ćordaš
Donji Klasnic 111, Glina
091 8843 182
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Products: teas, jams, chokeberry / ariona berry products

OPG Marčinko
Dražena Petrovića 18/2, Petrinja OPG
099 7235 037
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Products: chokeberry / ariona berry, various types of honey and juices, eco buckwheat flour

Family farm Jure Kolarić
Bobovac 321, Sunja
095 8158 505
Mini cheese factory
Products: Mini cheese factory

OPG Džakula
Sjeverovac 23, Sunja
091 2048 169
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Products: veal, pork, fresh meat and cured meat products

Pottery is a traditional craft in the area of Petrinja © TZ Petrinja

Pottery Matej Stanešić
Ljudevita Gaja 30, Petrinja OPG
044 816 308
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Pottery Val
Slavko Kolar 2, Petrinja OPG
0912340 060
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Cacti Beslic
Zagrebacka 185, Duzica
044 752 273
Products: cacti, succulents, aloe, carnivorous plants

Vrtlarija Gadžić
Stjepana Radića 324, Petrinja OPG
099 4040 992
gardener-gadzic
Products: flower and vegetable seedlings, perennials, roses, ornamental and spice plants

Eko-Pčela & OPG Rožić
Slatina 86, Petrinja OPG
098 1727 187
Products: organic honey, grain, rye, buckwheat, oats, fruit seedlings

Beekeeping Priljeva
Mije Srnaka 40, Petrinja OPG
098 9748 434
honey and beekeeping products

OPG Jela Grubišić
9 Gromova Street, Petrinja OPG
098 9454 211
Products: chickens, eggs

OPG Josipa Gadžić
Franza Wagnera 92, Petrinja OPG
098 9454 211
Products: flower and vegetable seedlings

OPG Polimac
Gornja Mlinoga 44
044 823 117/098 1373 107
Products: lambs and sheep

OPG Bunjan Dalibor
Sisačka 50 a, Petrinja OPG
099 2540 815
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Products: seasonal fruits and vegetables

OPG Champignon
Đurđica Bočina, Žabno 16, Sisak
099 8196 665
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Products: different types of mushrooms

OPG Trsoglavec Štefica
Sibic
098 286 558
Products: cheese, cream, butter and other dairy products

OPG Radošević Marijana
Stromarova 9, Petrinja OPG
099 2557 140
Products: honey and bee products

OPG Dario Paropatić
091 5723 320
Livestock breeding, buying and selling

OPG Paropatić Dejan
099 6597 155
Buying and selling live cattle

OPG Dvorneković
Milana Makanca 25, Petrinja OPG
091 1814 368
Products: blackberry wine, red currant wine, honey, propolis and fruit liqueurs

OPG Šipuš
Preloscica 92, Sisak
097 6674 912  
Products: dairy products, cheeses of different flavors

OPG Vuletić Željka
Gornja Mlinoga 39, Petrinja OPG
098 1847 750
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Products: jams, marmalades and juices from pumpkin, chokeberry / ariona berry and other fruits

OPG Priljeva Stojan
Donje Seliste, Glina
044 880 353/099 7403 650
Products: cheese and dairy products

OPG Lovro Lenac
A. Tomulića 10, Hrvatska Kostajnica
099 5127 643
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Products: pumpkin and chestnut

OPG Tamara Sekereš
Osekovo
091 7914 230
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Production: Beekeeping. 8 different types of honey, honey mixtures, propolis, delivery for Zagreb

OPG Ivica Vancas
Nebojan 134, Petrinja OPG
044 751 034/099 8048 076
Production: cereals (except rice), legumes and rapeseed oil

OPG Finka and Zdravko Oršulić
Matije Antolca 141, Petrinja OPG
095 9033 084/095 5863 284
Products: vegetable and flower seedlings, flowers and herbs

Family farm Snježana Oršulić
135 Gromova Street, Petrinja OPG
095 9074 512
Production: flower and vegetable seedlings

OPG Kata Čiča
Donji Viduševac, Glina
098 9945 323
Products: eco hazelnuts and free-range eggs

Family farm Slavica Jurić
Donja Budicina 22, Petrinja OPG
091 7220 520
Products: free-range eggs

OPG Mladen Bjelac
Ive Maline 84, Petrinja OPG
098 601 191
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Products: hazelnuts

OPG Stevo Zec
Hrvatska Kostajnica
091 7267 749
Products: honey

OPG Novakovic Milan
Gornji Bjelovac 15, Donji Kukuruzari
044 856 073
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Products: home-made sausages and bacon, pork fat

OPG Nikola Petković
Kralja Tomislava 73, Glina
091 7691 460
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Products: blackberry wine, blackberry liqueurs, raspberries, cherries, walnuts, rakija, jams, rural tourism

OPG Petrinjčica Davor Lugomer
Luščani 115
091 4000 407
Borovnice Petrinjčica
Products: blueberry cultivation from 15.6 to 10.8

OPG Križić
Matije Antolca 1, Petrinja OPG
095 3924 280
Products: vegetables and bee products

OPG Marica Rožić
Vratečko 23, Petrinja OPG
091 6141 708
Products: livestock (cows, horses, chickens), milk production

OPG Naglić Kristina
Hrvatskog proljeća 30, Glina
099 2309 051
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Products: lambs, wine, brandy, liqueurs and Christmas trees

OPG Nikola Navijalić
Kralja Tomislava 1 branch 5, Moscenica
098 9729 671
Products: strawberries, vegetables, honey

OPG Miroslava Jović
Brezovo Polje 38, Glina
099 8299 458
Products: veal

OPG Josip Petrović
Brezovo Polje 95, Glina
099 2153 129
Products: pork, lamb, calves and young goats

OPG Dragan Jović
Brezovo Polje 95, Glina
099 2153 129
Production: calves

OPG Marijan Glušić
Antuna Mihanovića 1a, Petrinja OPG
095 9099 305/091 5251 497
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Products: apples and apple juice

OPG Josip Starešinović
Strašnik 109, Petrinja OPG
099 8759 237
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Products: milk, cheeses

OPG Milić Perica
Volinja 3, Dvor
099 5904996 / 098 779 214
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Products: free-range eggs, beef, composting, potatoes

OPG Vesna Antunović
Don Ante Lizatovica 5, Donji Kukuruzari
098 1902 554
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Products: honey, bee products

Family farm Vladimir Vujčić
Velika Gradusa 63, Sunja
091 7231 393
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Products: lambs

Family farm Vesna Pranjic - Marincic Winery
Frankopanska 18, Sisak
(new address: Jazvenik 8e, Sela)
0917315678/0915892346
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Products: wine, viticulture and winemaking

OPG Anita Zrnić
Bestrma 116, Sunja
098 1829 823
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Products: lamb, young goats

DVORSKA KOŠARICA – association of OPGs
091 9299 888
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OPG Zoran Simić
Donji Javoranj 38 Dvor
Products: breeder of indigenous, protected breeds of pigs, sheep, goats and donkeys - live animals, meat and meat products - sausages, lard, čvarci (fried pork rind – pork scratchings), bacon

OPG Milko Nišević Kepčije
Products: smoked and fresh cheeses, organic breeding of calves, heifer cows, sheep and lambs

OPG Angela and Štefan Abramović
Products: pumpkin oil, flour, seeds, goat cheese, yogurt, fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables

OPG Milan Janković
Uncani 75, Dvor
0996585104
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Products: flaxseed (linseed) oil, pumpkin oil, pumpkin protein, flax seeds

OPG Kokin dom
Petrinja OPG
095 7972 064
Production: chickens

OPG Blaženko Anđić
Tomislava Ivkaneca 8a, Petrinja OPG
Products: honey and bee products, chokeberry / ariona berry products

OPG Jelić Ivka
Gajeva, Petrinja OPG
Available in online shop Zelena Kuca
Products: Collective of small producers of domestic and ecological products from Petrinja and its surroundings

Family farm Dijana Vukovic
Novi Farkasic 48
099 2862 510
Products: pumpkin oil

OPG "Majčina dušica" Nada Tanković
Petrinja OPG
091 7346 973
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Products: spices, herbs and medicinal herbs, berries (currants, raspberries, blackberries)

OPG Barišić Ivan
Mececani, Donji Kukuruzari
091 6460 664
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Products: vegetables, fruits, conserved fruits and vegetables, sheep and beekeeping

OPG Mara Dejanović
Deanovići 12, Petrinja OPG
098 9424 409
Products: dairy products, meat products, eggs, onions and other vegetables, lambs, pigs, calves

OPG Josip Jurković
Desni Degoj 20, Glina
098 9830 900
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Products: eggs, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions

OPG Mira Cavic
Batinova Kosa 59, Topusko
099 7987 820
Products: free-range eggs, honey, potatoes, onions, lard, cleaned (plucked and butchered) chickens, geese and ducks, lambs

OPG Špiljar Nikola
Novi Farkasic 43, Petrinja OPG
098 9721 470
Products: cow-calf, sheep, pigs and horses

OPG Ivica Klobučar
Jurja Fratrovića 13, Glina
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products: sheep breeding and free-range eggs

OPG Borojević
Trgovi, Dvor
091 9158 544
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Products: certified organic production and processing of hazelnuts (shelled hazelnuts, hazelnut oil, hazelnut flour, roasted hazelnuts) and buckwheat

OPG Severin Jurić
Lijevi Odvojak 33 A, Brest Pokupski
099 5053 160 / 098 551 324
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Product: hazelnuts

Cimerfraj add the following notes:

This list includes all small producers and family farms from the earthquake-affected settlements and the surrounding areas. At the time of compiling the list, we do not know whether these manufacturers are harmed or not, nor do we consider this important. We believe that synergy is necessary in order to initiate the balanced development of favorable existential opportunities for life in this area.

Due to some parts of the area currently being poorly covered by phone and internet signal, some of the manufacturers are easier to contact by text message, SMS or WhatsApp.

The list is still being updated. If you know of a domestic manufacturer from the affected area who is not currently included, please send all relevant details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

April 4, 2020 - Online communities around Croatia are now bringing Croatian farms to your doorstep. 

A tough part about the coronavirus pandemic in Croatia is that, because of the stringent measures in place, going to outdoor markets have become a thing of the past. 

The once-bustling markets, loud with sellers luring in buyers by convincing them that their product is the best, are mostly bleak and vacant until we’re on the other side of the coronavirus battle. 

However, one small light in the coronavirus pandemic is that it has forced creativity in order to sustain businesses, and Croatian farms that formerly only had a presence at their market stands now belong to large online communities. 

Who could have imagined a week ago, our babas and didas' eggs and produce would be advertised and sold online to be delivered to your doorstep? No one! But here we are.

With just one click, fish, fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, and eggs from your favorite sellers can be found on your doorstep the next day. 

The large number of virtual marketplaces that opened from Osijek to Dubrovnik testify that the OPGs, or Croatian farms, are determined to find a way to feed us all. 

A look at the online marketplaces around Croatia courtesy of Slobodna Dalmacija.

“Yesterday I ordered eggs, chard, young onions and radishes. A man brought me everything this morning, delivered to my door, and even left a small flower seedling as a gift. There was no contact, I paid them into their account, and they left me eggs and vegetables at my front door,” said a member of the Facebook group Virtual Pazar Split, which already has close to 12,000 members. Not only green products of local farmers are offered, but also delicacies from the continent, as well as lamb, cheese, and even donkey milk.

The virtual Zagreb market, however, gathered more than 35,000 members in a week. The group was founded by HSS spokeswoman Ivana Tomic. Food vendors can be advertised free of charge in Zagreb's virtual marketplace, where you can find everything from basil, to onions and mint, asparagus from Zadar. 

An official online marketplace was opened in Zagreb on Friday, and the launch of a drive-in purchase on the green market has been announced. About fifty family farms and artisans from the Zagreb area and its surroundings are offering products online.

On the page, you can see how they deliver the goods, delivery times, and what locations they cover. The profile of each OPG on to the platform has their contact information, product list and price. Besides calling them, customers can also place an order through a query that goes to the farmer’s email address.

Lana Šegetin from Dubrovnik founded the Facebook group Virtual Dubrovnik Market. It brings together members from Peljesac to Konavle, and all local food producers from the wider Dubrovnik area and the surrounding area can advertise and offer their products for free. More than 7,000 people from the Dubrovnik-Neretva County have joined the group.

Through the website kupujdomaće.hr, 450 Vrgorac family farms producing strawberries, apples, grapes, eggs, nectarines, honey, and quality wines could be found. Clicking on a fruit or vegetable icon opens a rich list of OPGs offering that selected product.

“I sell green onions, parsley, collards, leeks,” advertises an OPG on the page Virtual plaza - Neretva Valley. 

“We sell oranges, apples, fresh cow's cheese, seedlings of all kinds of vegetables, ajvar, lemons, sweet potato, and more,”

Citizens of Velika Gorica, Sisak, Pula, Osijek, Varaždin, Bjelovar can also enjoy virtual markets.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

Aminess Hotels & Camps has launched a project titled "Taste of Croatia", aiming to offer guests a unique gastronomic experience with exclusively domestic products from selected regional producers and family farms, which can be enjoyed at their hotels and camps, reports HRTurizam on May 11, 2019. 

The idea came from the Aminess Gourmet Lab project, led by chef David Scott, whose aim is to educate young chefs, waiters, bartenders and other members of the Aminess Gourmet team. With this concept of promoting Croatia's original products, Aminess offers its guests the best Croatian gastronomic experience possible. 

It is essentially the essence of tourism, as guests want to try something new and different; they want to taste something authentic. Croatia, with its incredible diversity and authenticity, can and must position itself in that segment. This offer also creates a healthy and sustainable system, stimulates the local economy, and is based on quality through fresh, homemade foods.

Aminess has imagined the new project so that the domestic products of OPGs will be included on the menus, and members of the Aminess gourmet team will also present the food and beverage offer to guests.

Thus, guests of Aminess hotels and camps will have the opportunity to get acquainted with Croatian gastronomy through three segments of the offer - Croatia in a bottle, Croatia on a plate and Croatia on a shelf.

'Croatia in the bottle' represents the drink offering, from indigenous wine varieties, rakija and spirits to wild and cultivated ingredients from intact nature. Next is 'Croatia on a plate', offering a taste of the regions in which the Mediterranean intertwines with the continent. Olive oil, delicious fish and shellfish, prosciutto and cheese, truffles and national specialties made from local ingredients are just some of the gastronomic delicacies on the menu. The Aminess Maravea Camping Resort also has a bakery that combines the segment of 'Croatia on a shelf'. Products such as golden grains, floral honey, marmalades of locally sourced fruit and dairy products from cows and sheep fed on nearby farms are all well rounded off with food items from local OPGs.

Currently, through the morning and evening meals at the buffet tables of the Aminess Maestral hotel, the Taste of Croatia offer includes the producers of Agro Klaster with products from Vukovar-Srijem County, Histris with homemade Istrian meat dishes without gluten, soy and lactose, fishing cooperative Istra with specialties made from freshly caught fish from the Adriatic Sea, and OPG Orbanić with a family tradition of preparing cheeses and milk delicacies made with milk from Istrian pastures.

Soon this offer will be introduced in other Aminess hotels, and in the summer months, the offer will be extended to fresh fruits and vegetables. 

A wonderful way to connect the ‘Blue and Green’ Croatia, bravo to Aminess for making the first concrete step in supporting Croatia’s local industry. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

One young Croat who inherited his grandparents' love of the land, found his very first customers through advertising his products in Facebook sales groups, a move which proved to have been very much the correct one.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 27th of December, 2018, alongside his steady job in a private company, twenty-four-year-old Danijel Tkalec, a trader by profession, dedicates every moment of his free time to the job he loves - working on a property he inherited from his grandparents. As this young Croat says, he has been helping them every day since he was little, and already fell in love with such work as a child, according to Agroklub.

"All of their lives until four years ago, my grandparents had, along with land, pigs and cows, but they had to sell all of their livestock because of illness and their age, and this, as they say, ended the most beautiful period of their lives. That love towards to the ground they lived from was passed on to me and I decided to continue with what they started. I had a lot of advantages at the very start - my own land and mechanisation, I only needed some good will and faith to work, I started to buy pigs, part of them I left for breeding, part of them I started fattening up for next winter, and during the first years I started with chickens too. The beginning was difficult - the space I had wasn't really adequate, the biggest problem was that I didn't have a market for the placement of my products, which is why the feeling of uncertainty and my fear of failure were huge,'' recalls Danijel when discussing his humble beginnings four years ago.

Danijel found his first customers through advertising his products in no less than Facebook sales groups. Thanks to the recommendations of satisfied customers, his network of new and eager customers began to increase day by day. At the same time, the OPG's revenue increased, and the first earnings the young Croat got his hands on were invested immediately straight back into the business - he placed large hanging feeders along the length of the entire space, and his capacity increased.

"After the first year, in which I first broke the ice, I began growing vegetables. Firstly, I literally started out with pretty much anything, but now I have opted for two to three crops. As a relatively small manufacturer, I don't have the capacity to meet the needs of larger shopping facilities, and I sell my products exclusively through social networks, and when I collect the orders, I place them at the doors of my customers. My permanent customers have become like members of our family,'' says Danijel, who is currently taking care of five hectares of land and all of the challenges such a task brings with it.

Online shopping and social networking has become a global trend over the last several years because, due to our increasingly busy lifestyles, many people are more likely to shop online and go to pick up their goods without losing time going to stores and markets. It was this trend that this young Croat deftly used to sell the products from his OPG, which proved to be an extremely successful move, because in just four years, the demand for his products has surpassed the offer, Agroklub writes.

Make sure to follow our dedicated business and Made in Croatia pages for more information on Croatian companies, products and services, as well as doing business in Croatia and the overall business and investment climate.

The company is ready to market them abroad as well.

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