APS Consult Ltd and The Institute for Tourism Studies are continuing with the courses dealing with local agricultural products, following a similar well-attended course which has already been held. The organisers said the first course, dealing with the processing of candied citrus fruits, had to be repeated and the repeat course is starting today.

The next course to be organised will be held on Saturday 10 March and Saturday 17 March, on both days from 9am to 1pm and will be on the processing of pickled vegetables, pickled artichokes and pickled eggs.

As in the previous course the fee will be Lm15 (E34.94) and application forms may be obtained from APS Bank branches, ITS in St George’s Bay, St Julian’s or from the website of APS Bank (www.apsbank.com.mt) or that of ITS (www.its.gov.mt).

Applications will be accepted up to Tuesday 6 March accompanied by the required fee

As in the first course, only the first 30 applicants will be accepted although a repeat course may be organised.

The course will include theory and practice in the processing and cooking of the products. Participants will be provided with all the necessary material and products during the courses and they can take home with them the finished product in jars also to be provided by the organisers, as well as a leaflet containing points on the theoretical part of the course. Two qualified lecturers will conduct the course, each lecturer taking over a group of not more than 15 participants.

Courses are not only aimed at showing how certain Maltese typical agricultural products could be processed or cooked but will also give the necessary information on hygiene, labels in the accepted legal form if the product is intended for sale and other information.

The courses are intended to offer an opportunity to amateurs or professionals to make the best use of local agricultural products, especially when these are in season and in abundance.