On February 7, the Universidade Trás-dos-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), in Vila Real, will be hosting the workshop “Tomate Coração de Boi do Douro – Da Sementeira à Mesa – Valorização da Variedade na Região”.

The workshop, promoted by the region’s development associations (Beira Douro, Douro Histórico and Douro Superior), in partnership with UTAD, the Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV) and Greengrape, is aimed at gardeners in the region, namely with tomato farms, seed producers and students.

For Celeste Pereira, one “of the most critical aspects in transforming this tomato into a IGP, a medium-long term objective, will be the work in preserving the authenticity and origin of this fruit”.

The Indicação Geográfica Protegida is a designation regulated by the European Union that aims to protect the names of specific products, in order to promote their unique characteristics associated with their geographical origin and traditional production methods.

The 2024 edition of the workshop will address topics such as the importance of conserving, preserving and valuing the seed of the tomate coração de boi do Douro, in order to guarantee the integrity of the fruit produced in Douro.

The workshop will be attended by experts from the Escola de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias and the Departamento de Agronomia da UTAD, as well as INIAV, through the Banco Português de Germoplasma.


In addition to this “workshop”, as part of an application led by the three associations, Greengrape is developing a book about the tomato, a guide to good practices for tomato cultivation and other meetings centered around these tomatoes and of the excellence of the territory for the production of this fruit.

These initiatives are funded by the Programa de Desenvolvimento Rural (PDR) 2020.

Since 2016, Greengrape, in collaboration with Edgardo Pacheco and olive oil specialist Francisco Pavão, have been committed to promoting the fruit through events such as the Concurso Tomate Coração de Boi de Douro, which chooses the best specimen in the region, as well as the tomato festival at restaurants in the region, which runs throughout the month of August.

The initiative also extends to the Capella project, which takes place in the village of Arroios, Vila Real, where the party is also tomato themed.