Skopje, 30 September 2023 (MIA) — Around 400 local small-scale food producers will exhibit over 2,000 products at the 2nd Taste the Tradition National Food and Beverage Fair in Skopje on Oct. 7.

The food fair will offer tastings, entertainment, and children's workshops, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Ljupcho Nikolovski and Slow Food Macedonia representative Vasilka Stefanovska told reporters Saturday.

According to Minister Nikolovski, visitors will include regional ministers as well as the German Minister of Agriculture.

Nikolovski said this year's Taste the Tradition fair would be "three times bigger than last year as a result of the Ministry of Agriculture's policies to encourage and support small-scale food producers, young farmers, and women farmers."

He said around 800 small-scale food producers have registered their businesses with the Food and Veterinary Agency since registration and record-keeping procedures were made easier.

Nikolovski added that interest in state support for start-up wineries, distilleries, and small-scale food producers was so high that the Ministry of Agriculture had requested an additional two million euros from the budget revision done by the Ministry of Finance so 200 new grant contracts of 10,000 euros each for equipment could be given to applicants.

During the food fair, Slow Food Cooks Alliance members will be making dishes from ingredients supplied by local small-scale food producers. Children's workshops will include dough kneading and taste education, Slow Food's Stefanovska said. mr/