SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 18 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
La Gomera is hosting the tenth edition of the Official Gofio Agrocanarias 2024 Competition over two days, where 71 products from 14 mills across the islands are competing for the title of Best Gofio in the Canary Islands. This accolade will be awarded to the production carrying the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) seal that secures the highest score.
The Official Gofios Competition is orchestrated by the Government of the Canary Islands through the Canary Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA), in collaboration with the Cabildo of La Gomera for this edition, recognising the finest productions from the archipelago.
This competition was inaugurated on Wednesday by the councillor for the area, Narvay Quintero, alongside the director of the ICCA, Luis Arráez, and the president of the Cabildo of La Gomera, Casimiro Curbelo, as well as the mayor of San Sebastián de La Gomera, Angélica Padilla, and the island councillor for the Primary Sector, Noelia Morales.
As highlighted by the Minister of Agriculture, this competition “serves as both recognition of the island producers, their efforts, and the quality of their products. It also acts as a promotional tool that aids in sustaining activities connected to the primary sector and, specifically, to gofio, a culinary symbol linked to traditional cuisine but also holding significant relevance in the contemporary culinary landscape.”
In this context, Quintero announced that in November, he will launch a study regarding the current status of gofio in the Canary Islands, which has been prepared by the public company Gestión del Medio Rural (GMR) at the behest of the ICCA.
Casimiro Curbelo, president of the Cabildo of La Gomera, expressed his delight that the island is hosting this competition, which enables them to showcase the high-quality products originating from the Canary Islands, particularly from La Gomera, whose mills have earned numerous accolades in previous iterations of this competition.
He emphasised the importance of investing in the primary sector as a “strategic domain for the economic diversification of the Islands, employing tools and initiatives that foster the recovery of the countryside and the advancement of rural areas.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Angélica Padilla noted that it is a privilege for the capital municipality to host a new iteration of this competition which has been instrumental in supporting the agri-food sector of the archipelago since its inception, especially for La Gomera, as both Molino Immedi in San Sebastián and Gofio Gomero from Hermigua have previously garnered the Best Gofio award in the Canary Islands. In this light, Padilla remarked that “the thriving performance of our archipelago’s agri-food sector, characterised by premium-quality products, significantly contributes to the revitalisation of the primary sector and the sustainable development of rural regions.”
ABOUT THE COMPETITION.
Regarding participation from the islands, of the 71 samples featured in this competition, a total of 29 are from companies based in Tenerife, 18 from La Gomera, and 17 from Gran Canaria. Additionally, producers from Lanzarote have submitted four entries to the competition, while three participated from Fuerteventura.
Employing a blind tasting method, meaning the tasters will not know which brand they are evaluating, a panel composed of 16 tasters who specialise in the analysis of agri-food products will also determine the productions deserving of awards such as Best Organic Gofio – which must be listed in the Canary Islands Organic Farming Operators File and obtain the highest score with a minimum of 70 points – Best Local Grain Gofio – made entirely from grains sourced from the Archipelago, Best Image and Presentation – according to the product’s packaging and labelling, and the distinctions of Best Gofio Chosen by Our Elders, as well as by the Children’s Jury. Furthermore, this edition has introduced a new category at the request of the producers, allowing for the first time, a distinction to be awarded for the Best Gofio without Salt in the Canary Islands.
The competition welcomes various types of gofio made in the Canary Islands from wheat, millet, barley, rye, oats, rice, beans, chickpeas, and soybeans, or combinations thereof, produced by mills on the islands that possess the necessary health authorisation (RGSA or RASCOM), are present in commercial channels, and adhere to the miller’s own trademarks.
To this end, four distinct categories have been established: wheat, millet, a blend of the two, and gofios made from alternative cereals and legumes. Within each category, various medals may be awarded to productions that meet specific scoring criteria. For instance, to secure the grand gold medal, the production must achieve at least 80% of the points outlined in the tasting sheet, while those attaining at least 75% will earn a gold medal, and those achieving a minimum of 65% will receive a silver medal.
This competition is part of the Canary Islands Government’s initiative to promote and encourage the quality of Canarian products, and is one of the actions undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food Sovereignty, along with the Canarian Institute for Agri-Food Quality (ICCA), to enhance the production, marketing, and consumption of Gofio Canario, which has held the European quality label, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), since 2014. This designation provides worldwide protection to the product while also adding undeniable value.
