25th GAST food and drinks fair opens in Split

​The 25th GAST fair of food, drinks and hotel and restaurant equipment opened in the Spaladium Arena in the southern coastal city of Split on Wednesday. On that occasion, Agriculture Minister Marija Vuckovic awarded 47 grant agreements worth a total of HRK 41 million (€5.5m) as part of four measures under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

The agreements relate to forestry and wood industry projects, development of small businesses, and water supply and drainage.

"In this way we promote cooperation with local government units and show that small businesses in Dalmatia are very important and that we support them," Vuckovic said.

Tonci Glavina, state secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, said that GAST promotes wine and food tourism. Citing recent research, he said that over 30 percent of tourists come to Croatia for that purpose.

The head of Split-Dalmatia County, Blazenko Boban, said that the aim is to create a symbiosis between rural areas in Split's hinterland, where high-quality food can be produced, and the tourist trade.

The four-day show features 786 brands from eight countries. The programme includes wine and food tastings and eight wine-making workshops.

(Hina/FaH)

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