Short description:

The first appearance of the edible paprika in Hungary can be estimated from the 1880s, when  Bulgarian gardeners settled near Szentes. According to the big agricultural census which took place in 1895: 92,74% of the country’s whole paprika production was centralised at the south-east side of the country, near Szentes. The gardeners were renting areas, which were rich in hummus, easily warmable meadows. The immigration of the Bulgarian gardeners was gradual until the end of 1940s. Most of them were having only seasonal jobs, because they returned to their homeland for the winter. But some of them has found a new home in Hungary. In 1938, 9 settled-down Bulgarian families and 12 Hungarian families had their own irrigated vegetable producing Bulgarian gardens. From the beginning until the 1960s, the most important factors in agricultural production were the great quality of the soil, the possibility of natural watering, the length of sunny hours per day, and the early coming of warm Spring.

From the 1960s, as an effect of the newly explored geometric energy of this area, the outside cultivation of the vegetables that need warm weather to grow (for example: paprika, tomato, cucumber), were replaced by greenhouse methods/production. The cultivation of edible paprika is a definig activity in the Southern Great Plain region for many many decades. It is selled since the Spring of 2014 as a protected product of origin, with the name: ,,paprika from Szentes”. At that time the European Commission provided a geographical sign (PGI) to this product, which means it is protected.

The paprika from Szentes with its special quality, shape, colour and taste bacame a determining vegetable of the landscape farming region and the geographical region. The following types of varieties have the rights to use the PGI (Protected Geographical Indications)  sign of ,,paprika from Szentes”: white TV paprika, pointed spicy paprika, capsicum paprika, tomato-shaped paprika. The main consumption qualities and characteristics of the ,,paprika from Szentes”: extraordinary flavour, spicy, sweet taste, has intense paprika scent, thin peel. The thickness of the pulp is 3-7 mm, which allows the enjoyable exploration of tastes and flavours while eating it fresh. The cultivation of ,,paprika from Szentes” takes place inside the public administration borders of the following settlements: Derekegyháza, Fábiánsebestyén, Felgyő, Mindszent, Nagymágocs, Nagytőke, Szegvár and Szentes.

The most relevant cultivators of ,,paprika from Szentes” are the members of the Southern Great Plain Gardeners Cooperation. Because of the usage of strict food safety systems, and the up-to-date traceability it is guaranteed that the costumer gets a supervised, safe product. During the production of,,paprika from Szentes” as a result of focusing on the sustainable improvement, they contribute to the preservation of natural and environmental sources for the future generations. Cultivating with the using of the integrated biological plant protection also supports this goal because it does not harm the environment. The modern technologies, the modern infrastructure, and the innovative methods make it possible to preserve the unique culture of paprika production of Szentes for the next generations.

Details:

Javaslat a nemzeti érték Hungarikumok Gyűjteményébe történő felvételéhez.

Az érték a Hungarikum törvény 324/2020. (VII. 1.) Kormányrendelet a magyar nemzeti értékek és hungarikumok értéktárba való felvételéről és az értéktár bizottságok munkájának szabályozásáról mellékletének Hungarikum Bizottsághoz történő felterjesztésével és elbírálása által került a Hungarikumok Gyűjteményébe.

Tags: szentes, paprika