Sheep’s cheese “Oscypek” only in Zakopane

Sheep’s cheese “Oscypek” will disappear from our shops. From now on all sheep’s cheese, which was called “oscypek”, are losing their rights to use its name. Permission for their production has, since 1th May, only one senior shepherd in the Tatra mountains, who sells his products in Zakopane in one shop only.
Legal, union “oscypek” one can buy only in delicatessen “Tourist” (“Turysta”) in Zakopane. All the others, which has been sold under Gubalowka, on Krupowki or wherever else in Poland are illegal. It is because of the European Union requirements, which were fulfilled only by one manufacturer, senior shepherd in the Tatra mountains, Kazimierz Furczoń. Other senior shepherds in the Tatra mountains are going to join him next month. Four more shepherds received their veterinary numbers. “All these controls and checks are going to take some more time, but in May, or at the end of June the very latest, all the formality should be finished “ – explained Furczoń.
Other vendors who were selling “oscypek” are resentful and are not hiding their discontence. “Why only senior shepherds in the Tatra mountains will earn on our “oscypek”, yet these are our common, whole Podhale, goods!” – grumbled one of the street vendors.
This long weekend in May, when from all over Poland thousand of tourists are coming to Zakopane, is one of the few opportunities to earn some money. “We can only hope that tourists would want to buy not only “oscypek” but also our “golki” – said old farm-mistress from under Gubalowka.