en.Wedoany.com Reported - The 8th Minas Artisan Cheese Festival is being held in Belo Horizonte, featuring two new products this year: Suaçuí Valley cheese and Mucuri Valley brown cheese. Four municipalities have been incorporated into the Serro Minas artisan cheese micro-region, aiming to help producers expand their markets and enhance product value.
According to Paula Lobato, a technical and management assistance analyst for the Faemg Senar System, Suaçuí Valley cheese and Mucuri Valley brown cheese recently received regulatory certification. She noted that this year, a record-time operation was organized to bring two producers into compliance and enable their participation in the festival. In the new production areas, producers are showcasing their products individually at booths from other regions, with the expectation that next year, through the formation of associations, they will have dedicated booths organized by production area.
Maria Neusa Lopes Barreiros, from Maracacheta, is the first producer of Mucuri Valley brown cheese to participate in the festival. She has been producing brown cheese at Fazenda Bom Jesus da Lapa for nearly 29 years, turning to cheese production to supplement her income to support her children's education. Initially, she produced cheese and other delicacies, but later focused solely on cheese due to satisfactory returns, with production volume determined by orders. Maria Neusa stated that regulatory certification and participation in the festival are important tools for expanding the market and assuring consumers of product quality. She brought 90 pieces of Mucuri brown cheese to the festival, which quickly sold out, with each piece priced at 50 reais, considered profitable.
Cabacinha cheese earned a dedicated booth at this year's event. The cheese received regulatory certification in mid-2025 and is participating in the festival for the second time. José Alves dos Santos and Rita de Cássia Trindade Alves, a couple from Fazenda Terra Estranha in Joaíma, Jequitinhonha Valley, are exhibiting. José Alves said the farm maintains a stable daily production of 200 liters of milk, and demand has grown since certification and festival participation. He noted that things changed after obtaining certification, opening doors to participate in fairs and events.
The Jequitinhonha Valley production area consists of nine municipalities. José Valério de Souza Filho, president of the Cabacinha Cheese Producers Association in the region and a producer of Bonança cheese from Pedra Azul, emphasized that participating in the festival allows Cabacinha cheese to reach beyond the valley. Currently, there are about 300 producers in the area, 30 of whom are association members, and around 15 are adjusting their cheese workshops to obtain certification. José Valério's Cabacinha cheese appeared at the festival for the first time, with Fazenda Bonança producing 50 kg daily, each 400-gram cheese sold for 40 reais. The two brought approximately 1,600 pieces of Cabacinha cheese to the event, selling over 600 on the first day alone.
The Serro Minas artisan cheese micro-region expanded during this year's festival, incorporating four new municipalities: Carmésia, Guanhães, São João Evangelista, and Senhora do Porto. After the expansion, the Serro micro-region now comprises 16 cities, including Alvorada de Minas, Coluna, Conceição do Mato Dentro, Congonhas do Norte, Dom Joaquim, Materlândia, Paulistas, Rio Vermelho, Sabinópolis, Santo Antônio do Itambé, Serra Azul de Minas, and Serro. Faemg Senar System analyst Paula Lobato noted that incorporating more municipalities helps enhance product value, integrating terroir and product identity.
José Ricardo Ozolio, president of the Serro Region Minas Artisan Cheese Producers Association, emphasized the importance of expanding the number of municipalities and integrating more producers into the region. He believes that integrating different ideas and experiences adds value and brings reality to the world.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
