Zafra still has the largest livestock market of Southern Europe. As for Beja, it organises the Ovibeja fair, one of the most important agricultural events in Southern Portugal. So, why not organise an event on the other side of the border?

The first fair supported by INTERREG took place in 1994. The aim was to intensify agricultural relations between the two regions and to promote the marketing of extensively farmed products. Since then, the fairs have become regular cross-border events, organised every six months in Zafra or in Beja.

The central and traditional part of each fair is the display of animals and products from Alentejo and Estremadura. All the different livestock (sheep, cattle, pigs, horses) are represented. Another part that has become increasingly important in the eyes of the professionals is the technical workshops. Common solutions and positions are defined in areas like the promotion of livestock and products of extensive farming, marketing channels, the extensive product supply potential of each region, quality labels, development of the countryside, etc.

The third part concerns the promotion of quality gourmet products of the two regions. This is where hotel and restaurant owners and gourmets without frontiers come together along with the specialised press.

The cultural and recreational activities organised around these events and the sale of local products have increased the economic activity of the cross-border area and made it possible to develop cultural activities for the benefit of all the local communities.

Institución Ferial de Zafra / Mercado Nacional de Ganado
Phone: + 34 924 55 07 81

01/01/1994

case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration

Community development