Traditional food products of East Herzegovina as a tourism offer

Food and drink from East Herzegovina can be a reason for a visit, not only an extra for accommodation. This article is for producers, winemakers, beekeepers, restaurants and rural households that want to bring their product into the tourism offer.

In short

• Sir iz mijeha (cheese kept in a goat or sheep skin sack) is, according to the Turistička organizacija Republike Srpske (Tourism Organisation of Republika Srpska), together with the Nevesinje potato the food specialty that sets Nevesinje apart in Herzegovina. The same page says that, according to the Dubrovnik archives, this kind of cheese dates back to the 14th century.
• Wine: the Trebinje tourist board lists 16 wine cellars, with locations around Trebinje, and the East Herzegovina winegrowers' association "Vinos". It names žilavka as a notable local variety (according to that page, the Lastva žilavka was supplied to the Habsburg court in Vienna).
• Honey and medicinal herbs: the Trebinje tourist board cites over 260 sunny days a year and publishes contacts for beekeepers and herb producers in Trebinje and Ljubinje. The list is short (four entries).
• The public register of protected food names kept by the Agencija za sigurnost hrane BiH (Food Safety Agency of BiH) has no sir iz mijeha and no Trebinje honey. From East Herzegovina it lists Nevesinjski krompir (PGI, 2020) and Gatački kajmak iz mješine (PDO, 2024). Without registration, you must not present a name as protected.

Who it applies to

Cheese makers, beekeepers, winemakers, herb growers, rural households, restaurants and tour organisers in Trebinje, Ljubinje, Nevesinje, Bileća and surroundings.

What to do

1. Choose a product you can show. Visitors value the process: the sheepskin sack and the ageing of the cheese, the cellar and harvest for wine, hives and meadows for honey. According to the Tourism Organisation of Republika Srpska, sir iz mijeha began as a way to preserve milk products in summer, while herders stayed in mountain katuns (summer pasture settlements). That gives a solid story.
2. Combine products in one tasting. Sir iz mijeha, honey and local wine can be offered together, with home-made foods the guest already knows. The list of 16 cellars on the tourist board page can help you arrange visits.
3. Check that you are listed. The Trebinje tourist board publishes a list of wineries and a short list of honey and herb producers. The honey and herb list has only four entries and is probably old (we earlier recorded it as last modified in 2018), so contact them to check that your entry is correct and complete.
4. Check the rules before selling. Registration of premises, food of animal origin (cheese, cured ham) and sales to guests should be checked with the competent inspection and your municipal administration. We did not confirm the exact conditions for small producers, so we do not state them here.
5. Consider protecting the name. For food products such as cheese or honey, the application goes to the Food Safety Agency of BiH under the Pravilnik o sistemima kvaliteta za prehrambene proizvode (Rulebook on quality schemes for food products, Službeni glasnik BiH 90/18). It is filed by a group of producers, usually an association, together with proof of the group's registration, a statement from its governing body on the decision to seek protection, and the product specification. The fee is set by a decision published in Službeni glasnik BiH 34/19. For craft and other non-food products the procedure is run by the Institut za intelektualno vlasništvo BiH (Institute for Intellectual Property of BiH, Mostar) under the Zakon o zaštiti oznaka geografskog porijekla (Law on Protection of Geographical Indications, Službeni glasnik BiH 53/10), with fees on ipr.gov.ba under "takse i troškovi". The Institute keeps registers of designations of origin and geographical indications, which are public books that anyone may inspect without paying a fee (Article 13(5) of that law). Wine and spirits are governed by separate rules, so get advice from the competent institution before applying for them.

Tips

• A visitor on site is a natural market for these products, and export is not a must.
• A tasting or farm visit can add value, but set your own price and test it on the market.
• The cheese has a strong smell and taste. Explain it to guests and serve it with familiar foods.
• Do not claim a product is "protected" or "certified" unless you hold the decision.

Where to go

• Trebinje tourist board (GoTrebinje): lists of wineries and honey and herb producers
• Food Safety Agency of BiH: protection of food names, public register and interactive map of protected products
• Institute for Intellectual Property of BiH: geographical indications for non-food products
• Your municipal administration and competent inspection: registration and sale of food

Laws and sources

• Nevesinje, Tourism Organisation of Republika Srpska
• Wineries, Trebinje tourist board
• Honey and medicinal herbs, Trebinje tourist board
• Designations of origin, geographical indications and traditional specialities, with the register (Pravilnik o sistemima kvaliteta za prehrambene proizvode, Službeni glasnik BiH 90/18), Food Safety Agency of BiH
• Law on Protection of Geographical Indications (Službeni glasnik BiH 53/10)
• Frequently asked questions on geographical indications, Institute for Intellectual Property of BiH