Spain's idyllic pig farming has a product that doesn't come cheap

Amidst the range of delicacies to be enjoyed in Spain, Iberian ham is both a culinary delight and a farming marvel. Lindi Botha visited Spain to find out what it takes to produce the most expensive ham in the world.

- Lindi Botha

The hills of Los Pedroches in the Cordoba region of southern Spain provide imagery that will make any consumer's heart sing. The green, rolling hills are dotted with centuries-old acorn trees, wild flowers, herbs and grasses. Here and there a herd of black pigs huddle as they work their way through one patch to another, languidly sniffing out acorns for lunch.

It's the kind of picturesque production system that consumers wish were the norm, but which livestock farmers know doesn't offer up much profit. Unless you can bank on a price of R1 500/kg. That is the beauty of Iberian jamón, a ham produced by just 600 farmers in Spain, and world-renowned for its unique, sweet and nutty flavour.

To achieve top dollar, the ham must fulfil a list of criteria, including a Protected Designation of Origin certification. This means the ham must be produced in specific areas, since the environment has a big effect on the flavour of the meat. Iberian jamón therefore joins elite products like champagne, Parmesan cheese and Parma ham, which can all only claim their title if produced in designated geographical areas. In complete contradiction to most commercial farmers, Fernando Adell, owner of the Dehesa de Campo Alto farm in Los Pedroches, states that maintaining production methods put in place by his ancestors is his biggest challenge. "It's a natural, sustainable system that requires no improvement."