Free tastings and live chef demo at new regional organic market
Tortosa will host the first Mercat Bio de les Terres de l’Ebre on Saturday 17 October, a new event showcasing organic and local produce from across the Ebre region. The market will take place in the town’s main square, Plaça de l’Ajuntament, from 9:00 to 14:00, as part of the Generalitat’s Setmana Bio per l’Alimentació Ecològica, running from 10 to 18 October. Organised by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (DARPA) with support from Tortosa’s city council, the event will bring together at least 24 producers and processors from the four Ebre comarques: Baix Ebre, Montsià, Terra Alta and Ribera d’Ebre. The aim is to promote the region’s biodiversity and strengthen local food systems.
Free tastings, live cooking and family activities
A highlight of the day will be ‘Tasta el Mercat’, a free tasting initiative allowing visitors to sample organic products directly from producers. There will also be a live cooking demonstration by Cristian López, chef at Tortosa’s Moments restaurant, who will purchase ingredients from the market stalls and prepare a surprise dish on the spot. Additional activities include a wine pairing talk and a session on olive oils led by taster Eudald Salvat. Families can attend a natural candle-making workshop and a memory game combined with olive oil tasting for children.
We want to highlight the work of our farming community and local producers, especially in a Biosphere Reserve like the Terres de l’Ebre,
, said Tortosa mayor Mar Lleixà, who promoted the event alongside councillor for trade Sònia Rupérez and regional agricultural officials.
Boost for local commerce and ongoing initiatives
The market aligns with broader efforts to support local trade, including the ongoing Bons Tortosa campaign, which offers residents and visitors three €5 vouchers to spend at participating businesses. Over 5,000 vouchers have already been downloaded since the scheme launched, with 160 businesses signed up, according to Francesc Minguell, head of the Chamber of Commerce. The campaign, active until 2 November, is accessible via bons.tortosa.cat. Rupérez encouraged visitors to combine the organic market visit with shopping at local stores and the municipal market. The event will be coordinated by specialist firm Sud Gastronòmic, with the goal of making the Mercat Bio an annual fixture that connects Ebre’s ecological producers with the wider public.
Reported by Redacció Ebredigital.cat, diaridetarragona.com, degusta.riberaebre.org, La Ciutat.
