Bernat Casasnovas, Councilor for Commerce, Fairs and Markets: “Betting on local products is a way of preserving our cultural identity”

Itiziar Lecea/Ciutadella - This week, the first major fair of the year takes place, following the celebration of Sant Antoni. In addition, a whole series of activities and celebrations have been organized. This week, we talk about this first fair, and also the markets that await us this year, with Bernat Casasnovas, councilor for the area. His maxim, which applies to both sectors, is to promote crafts, tradition and roots, linked to our culture and our identity. Precisely, what we celebrate this week with the festival of Sant Antoni and the Diada del poble de Menorca.

Let's start with the Sant Antoni fair. What will we find new there?

The idea of ??Sant Antoni has been to contribute, the more traditions and guilds linked to products and crafts from Menorca, the better. What I can say is that we have a third of the stalls that are from here, a third that will be from Mallorca, and a third from the peninsula. It is an open fair, although I expected to have more representation from the island's artisan sector. I think it is a factor to analyze, see what is happening with this sector linked to craftsmanship and product development, and see why we lack more representation. I believe that the bond that we have in Menorca with craftsmanship and traditions, roots us in our ancestors; which help us a lot to understand our culture and our identity, which is what we celebrate these dates. In fact, we also maintain the fair in Plaça de Sant Antoni, in front of the hospital, as one of the main points of the festival. This year, we wanted to introduce a demonstration of shearing sheep in a traditional way, and the subsequent treatment and use of the wool, which many children will never have seen, but we were unable to make it possible due to logistical issues with the vaccines that were needed at the time.

Even so, I must say that I would like to see more participation in a future Sant Antoni than has always been done, than is done now, and what could be done in the future. Everything that is produced and elaborated, especially in an artisanal way, is welcome, because it links us to a spirit of taking advantage of the resources we have here, and how we can use them. Living on an island brings us a casuistry that forces us to be awake and creative.

Does this way of understanding fairs also extend to markets?

Product production, especially that which is done in the countryside, is increasingly complicated. Whether we are talking about vegetables, meat, cheese or sausages... It is a job, it always has been, quite hard and requires many hours every day of the year, but now the growing regulatory requirements, records of all kinds and paperwork are added, an extra job that is added to their day to day. I think these are added difficulties that make many producers not motivate their children to continue with these types of jobs. The models that are proposed from Europe, from big cities or large companies, will not always be able to be successfully adjusted to our reality, because it is very different. I believe that a way of incentivizing will have to be considered, either with specific administrative training or some type of support in order to shorten the distance between administrations and producers. On a small island like ours, what needs to be taken care of is the small producer, the one who has been following traditions for a long time, year after year with practices that are hundreds, sometimes thousands of years old, or that small producer who starts an innovative project. Whether older or more current, what is important is that they have a clear awareness of the circular economy, using both our native breeds and local resources. Following these examples of sustainable economy we have extraordinary proposals such as the introduction of olive tree oil to some of our oils, offering a pioneering and unique Menorcan coupage in the world, or the creation of the popular Japanese matcha tea "a la Menorcana" with olive tree leaves, incense, ointments and soaps from local medicinal plants, crafts and utensils made with "our" firewood, from olive trees, of course! Well-cared-for native meats, organic vegetables, sausages, and exquisite traditional cheeses, and cheeses from around the world, produced here, among others.

A clear case of this statement is the situation of our fishermen and how empty the Fish Market is.

Since I entered this council, I have tried to understand what is happening, why we are losing fishmongers. One of the factors that influence it is this intervention from Europe that I mentioned before, but there are others. One of them is that we do not have generational succession within the fishermen and fishmongers' guild. Another is the fact that fishermen are choosing when to go out, of the few days they can go out fishing. However, we are almost ready to put the available lots of Plaça des Peix out to tender this year, and there are some interested people, and a hope that by achieving improvements for the fishermen, we will breathe life back into the market with new fishmongers and our own fish. We want to approach it with optimism. In addition, we will also make some interventions to improve the conditions of the Market. We are studying how to install air conditioning and some other contributions and improvements. On the other hand, and aware that there are many hours in the evening when the market is closed, we want to be able to revitalize it, especially in the summer.

Do you have, in this sense, new ideas for the summer markets?

There will be no major changes, but we do have to see how we reposition the summer markets when Plaça des Born becomes pedestrianised. We have to study which areas of the lower part, in what is now a car park, are the most viable, with the intention of giving more oxygen to the promenade, because we have about 40 stalls. We have to finish out this with the government team.

Apart from the one in Sant Antoni, what other major fairs will we have this 2025?

We will try to promote meetings with producers and artisans. Betting on local products is a way of preserving our cultural identity while building a future more connected to the environment. In addition, supporting small producers and local initiatives contributes to a more resilient economic fabric, and with more identity. It is here and under this principle, that the Earth Fair would be born, where special attention will be paid to all the people of this island who propose any product or craft, or production system, whether linked to our traditions or to new proposals using the resources of this land well. We still need to define when and how, but the idea is to launch it within 2025.

Why are you proposing this fair?

Because promoting local producers and local products is essential to building a circular and sustainable economy, where resources are reused to reduce environmental impact. This model not only promotes environmentally friendly production, but also reinforces the cultural and heritage identity of the communities. Local products, made with traditional materials and techniques, reflect the history, creativity and values ??of the land, helping to preserve ancient crafts and cultural roots. By consuming km0 products, we support our artisans and businesses, promoting fairer and more balanced trade. This, in turn, promotes social cohesion and identity, as it reduces dependence on large industrial production chains and promotes production that is more respectful of the territory and people. In addition, it is essential to support producers of new projects that expand the local offer, creating opportunities for entrepreneurship and economic diversification. New projects can help revitalize rural areas, generating jobs and promoting innovation within the framework of an economy that respects the environment.

And as for the trade branch, will we have any news?

We will continue to support the collaboration with the Ciutadella Antiga association, which is focused on the trade in the historic center. And which has always done a good job of dynamizing and promoting local trade. The idea is, within the scope of what is possible, to also encourage the sector with certain fairs and new proposals.