NINE YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL OPERATION OF HERZEGOVINIAN HOUSE MARKED

TREBINJE, JULY 20 /SRNA/ - Hercegovačka Kuća /Herzegovinian House/ in Trebinje, a symbol of quality and domestic Herzegovinian products, celebrated nine years of its existence and successful operation today.

Director Veselin Dutina noted that from an initial 20 cooperating partners and an offering of 180 products, they have grown to 140 producers and more than 1,000 items on the shelves of the Herzegovinian House.

"When we opened the first Herzegovinian House, our goal was to help local agricultural producers and to offer tourists branded domestic products," Dutina pointed out.

He stated that they now have stores in Istočno Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Belgrade, and Vienna, and soon in Novi Sad.

"It was not easy to survive for so many years and gain people's trust, but we succeeded through responsible and dedicated work. The demand, just like the supply, is very diverse – from wine, medicinal teas, fig and pomegranate products, to cheeses, prosciutto, and herbal ointments and creams. Herzegovina is a reserve of very good and high-quality products," Dutina said.

Deputy Mayor of Trebinje Dražen Bošković congratulated the director and the employees on the birthday of the Herzegovinian House, as well as the producers who have been working hard all these years.

"They are the pride of Trebinje because they promote the spirit of Trebinje and Herzegovina in the best possible way. The establishment of the Herzegovinian House provides support to small agricultural producers, because it was vital for them to have a secure market, and we have made that possible," Bošković said.

He added that he is certain the network of sales channels for the Herzegovinian House will continue to expand, that even more young people will get involved in agriculture, and that the volume of production and products will become even greater.

Producer Manojlo Ćuk, who has been successfully cooperating with the Herzegovinian House since its establishment, pointed out that he has been selling fig brandy-which is distinctive for being made from dried figs-for nine years.

"Our production is around two bottles of brandy a day, or about 700 liters annually. In the coming period, I plan to include another product in the offer - Popovo Polje corn, and this year we will have our first harvest. As a producer, I am happy when I see that in the Herzegovinian House we can buy all the indigenous products of our farmers," Ćuk said.

The Herzegovinian House facility is unique in the city because the absolute best that this region has to offer can be found all in one place.

The City of Trebinje, with its Herzegovinian House initiative, was selected as the best global story on sustainable tourism at the ITB Berlin International Travel Trade Show.