The Vice President of the Government of Asturias, Gimena Llamedo, has highlighted this Sunday in Benia de Onís the work of the farming and cheese-making families that keep the production of gamonéu alive, emphasizing its importance in the local economy and in the preservation of the culture of the Picos de Europa.
Llamedo has participated in the XLVI Gamonéu Cheese Contest, an event declared a Festival of Regional Tourist Interest. "Gamonéu carries the name of our towns wherever it goes and tells the story of the people who make it possible. Behind each cheese are many hours of work, knowledge passed down through generations, and a way of caring for the territory," she pointed out during her speech.
At the event, the Vice President was alongside the mayor of Onís, José Manuel Abeledo, and the General Director of Agriculture, Agroindustry, and Rural Development, Begoña López, sharing with them a day focused on recognizing the sector.
The protected designation of origin closed 2025 with nearly 175,000 kilos of cheese, a total of 23 farms and 21 cheese factories registered, in addition to a census of 1,703 heads of cattle, sheep, and goats. The registered farms contributed more than two million liters of milk for the production of this product.
Llamedo has emphasized the link between this activity and the daily reality of rural areas. "A cheese factory provides jobs and movement around it: to the farms, to the shops, to the restaurants. That is why, when we talk about gamonéu, we also talk about the families that live here and the bond they maintain with their land," she stressed.
She also highlighted the appeal of the contest, which brings together professionals, residents, and tourists around a cheese with its own personality. "Tasting a cheese in the place where it is made and meeting those who make it allows for a much better understanding of Asturias. That encounter between people, flavors, and landscape is part of what makes this land special," the Vice President pointed out.
The event program reserves a space for "The four aces of Asturian cheeses," a joint promotional action driven by the regulatory councils of Cabrales, Gamonéu, Casín, and Afuega'l Pitu, supported and co-financed by the Government of Asturias through the program Saborea el Paraíso.
Llamedo has conveyed his congratulations to the people awarded with the Gamonéu Awards 2026 and has recognized the effort of the organization, the Regulatory Council, and the farming and cheese-making families. "This contest is also a way to thank those who have dedicated their lives to gamonéu and to those who continue that work today," he concluded.