The fair, which opened its doors on Saturday, April 11, offered an extensive program of activities. These included exhibitions of native breeds, traditional milking workshops, musical performances, tastings, and samplings, attracting numerous visitors interested in Canarian rural culture.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by prominent authorities, including the president of the Government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo; the president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Rosa Dávila; the mayor of La Orotava, Francisco Linares; and the president of the Pinolere Cultural Association, Leoncio Luis. During the event, a tribute was paid to the Association of Artisanal Cheese Producers of Tenerife for its contribution to promoting artisanal cheese and the Tenerife Island Cheese Competition.
“"Defending the primary sector is not an option; it is a priority for this Government, because we are talking about economy, but also about territory, landscape, and the future for the Canary Islands."
Clavijo emphasized the government's commitment to the primary sector, highlighting its economic and cultural importance for the islands. He mentioned specific support measures, such as an additional allocation of 7.2 million euros to help producers cope with rising costs, and the defense of a fair POSEI in the next European financial framework.
“"This fair is a demonstration that in Tenerife and the Canary Islands, we believe in what is ours, in what is authentic, in what comes from the daily effort of so many families who keep the primary sector alive."
For her part, Rosa Dávila highlighted the fair's value as a display of Canarian identity and the effort of families sustaining the primary sector. She underscored the fundamental role of the Association of Artisanal Cheese Producers of Tenerife and the Tenerife Island Cheese Competition in showcasing the excellence of local products, and emphasized the work of women in livestock and cheese making.
Mayor Francisco Linares described the fair as a recognition of the efforts of farmers and cheesemakers, guardians of traditions. He affirmed the commitment of the La Orotava City Council to the primary sector and local products, promoting initiatives that generate economy and keep rural areas vibrant. Leoncio Luis, president of the Pinolere Cultural Association, thanked all collaborators and the public for their support, stressing the fair's importance in backing and raising the profile of the primary sector and the families dependent on it.
The fairgrounds hosted over fifty stands, including thirty cheese dairies and spaces offering traditional gastronomic products, wines from the D.O. Valle de La Orotava, and artisanal Canarian beers. Thirty native breeds were also exhibited, and educational milking workshops were offered for children, along with shepherd's leap demonstrations, musical performances, and gastronomic showcases.
