Edwin Vassallo, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and the Self Employed, said there was a renewed interest in Maltese cheeselets, not only by Maltese persons, but in a particular way by tourists. Their production has improved in such a way that these cheeselets were now being packed in a way that allowed them to be preserved and made their transportation easier. There were tourists who were taking typical Maltese cheeselets back home with them.

Mr Vassallo was speaking during a consultation meeting with cheeselet producers during which an overview of the cheeselet production sector was given.

The parliamentary secretary said that in Malta and Gozo there were 1,840 persons registered as sheep and goat breeders. Between them, they bred around 5,000 goats and 6,000 sheep. The industry has produced around 3,000 sheep cheeselets and 2,100 goat cheeselets over a period of five months, in consonance with the amount of animals kept.

Today there is less bureaucracy in the sector. Before EU accession there were three distinct departments that regulated the producers: Veterinary Services, Agriculture and the Health Department.

Today, after accession, there has been a harmonisation of these regulations, which now fall under the Department of Veterinary Services. This has led not only to a reduction of bureaucracy but also an improvement in the quality of the cheeselets produced.

Mr Vassallo said that the production of typical Maltese food was one that ought to be exploited more, particularly in production for the export market. “This is another way that Maltese entrepreneurs and producers can take advantage of the opportunities offered by membership in the European Union. Products such as these cheeselets, which are typically Maltese, carry added value with them and have a niche market.”

The government had in fact already organised a number of consultation meetings and would be holding more meetings with this and other sectors. The cheeselet producers and the Assocjazzjoni Produtturi tal-Gbejniet tan-Naghag u l-Mogho¿ were working closely with the parliamentary secretariat in order to make their problems and needs known to the government.