President Nikos Christodoulides is meeting with key figures in the halloumi cheese industry to address new EU regulations, safeguard halloumi’s PDO status, and ensure quality. The meeting aims to maintain the cultural and economic importance of halloumi for Cyprus.
The Halloumi PDO controversy in Cyprus is a clash of tradition and economic interests, as dairy producers and cattle farmers oppose EU specifications that could alter the cheese’s taste. With the government seeking concessions and the EU standing firm, the conflict highlights the complex interplay of politics, tradition, and food quality standards in the region.
🧀🐑 The Minister of Agriculture, Petros Xenophon, confirmed that the PDO Halloumi folder will be implemented as approved. If the EU does not grant a fiveyear transitional period, the quota for goat and sheep milk in halloumi cheese production will have to increase to 51% by 2024. Opposition from cheese makers and cattle farmers has arisen, while the Cyprus Goat and Sheep Farmers’ Association called for a comprehensive proposal. Halloumi PDO Cyprus Agriculture
