The Aljezur Sweet Potato Festival, which will take place between November 28th and 30th, expects to receive 15 thousand visitors and sell around 12 tons of the tuber, according to estimates by organizers and producers.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, the president of the Aljezur Sweet Potato Producers Association estimated that around 15 thousand people could visit the event and that close to 12 tons of that tuber would be sold.
“We expect that sales may be within what was sold on average in the last two years or even see an increase, given the demand for the product”, said José Gregório.
Certified with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) since 2009, the Aljezur sweet potato, of the ‘Lyra’ variety, can be enjoyed in traditional gastronomy dishes or purchased bagged, during the three days of the event, in the multipurpose space in the Algarve village, in the district of Faro.
According to the official, sweet potatoes will be sold “at two euros per kilogram, a price below that charged in commercial establishments”.
The product, an emblem of the municipality of Aljezur, “maintains its quality this year despite the adverse weather conditions, with a lot of rain, which have hit the Algarve in recent days”, he noted.
“The producers anticipated the period of bad weather, having carried out the harvest and, therefore, the product has very good quality in this campaign”, he highlighted.
José Gregório revealed that the significant demand and appreciation of sweet potatoes from Aljezur promoted the growth of those interested in growing the tuber.
“In the last two years there has been an increase in producers of this product in the municipality, being an important driver for the local economy”, he highlighted.
Around 150 exhibitors will participate in the Aljezur Sweet Potato Festival, including vendors selling crafts and traditional products from the Algarve.
Organized jointly by the Sweet Potato Producers Association and Aljezur City Council, the festival will take place between the 28th and 30th of November, from 12:00 to 24:00, with free entry and parking.
In the venue you can taste typical local dishes based on this tuber, such as cabbage, Arrifana octopus, feijoada, sausages, bread, pastel de nata, ice cream, as well as brandy, liqueurs and sweet potato caipirinha.
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