Halloumi cheese production as PDO uncertain ahead of producers' meeting with Christodoulides

Halloumi cheese production as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product is in the balance, as cheesemakers in Cyprus have decided to cease operations from 10 January in protest to a decree to increase the goat and sheep milk ratio in Halloumi to 19%.

As a result, a meeting will be held at the Presidential Palace under President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides on the afternoon of 4 January with the participation of the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry.

Following the decision of its members to suspend operation from 10 January, the Cyprus Cheesemakers Association requests the lifting of decree 332/2023 of 20 October 2023, for the increase of goat and sheep milk percentage to 19%.

In addition, the Association had decided that from 1 January, its members would not be bound by the framework agreement of 22 July 2022, signed by all interested parties and which concerns the production of Halloumi as a PDO.

Meanwhile, the Cattle Breeders' Coordinating Committee announced that if the cheesemakers' decision is implemented, all the produced cow's milk from 10 January will be taken to the Presidential Palace.

The agreement of 22 July 2022 provided for full implementation of the Legislation and the European Regulation that recognises Halloumi as a PDO, but also specific changes requested by cheesemakers and cattle breeders. The agreement framework had been accepted by the cattle breeders, goat and sheep breeders and cheesemakers in a meeting they had on 22 July 2022, in the presence of the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and the Secretary General of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The implementation of specific changes provided for the withdrawal by all sides of all judicial and administrative proceedings that were pending and were directly or indirectly related to the Halloumi File and after the aforementioned changes have been implemented.

Despite the agreement reached with the cheesemakers, there are still appeals to the European General Court over the standard by cattle farmers and Halloumi traders, and a decision is expected on 21 February. The cheesemakers believe that some changes provided for in the agreement were not implemented by the relevant Ministries such as the possibility of including the Halloumi burger and lactose-free Halloumi in the PDO, the promotion by the Ministry of Commerce of the "Cypriot white grilled cheese" that can be produced from Cypriot milk, without meeting all the PDO specifications, and a mechanism to determine the cost of milk.

Based on the July 2022 agreement, the Minister of Commerce, Energy and Industry would issue a decree specifying that the minimum participation of goat and sheep milk in the Halloumi mixture for the months of September 2022 to January 2023 will be 10% and for the months from February to August of 2023, the minimum percentage of goat and sheep milk will be 25%. From September 2023 until January 2024, the ratio of goat and sheep milk in the Halloumi mixture will be determined based on availability, with a minimum of 10%.

As of February 2024 until July 2024 the minimum ratio of goat and sheep milk in the Halloumi mixture will be 25% and then the agreement that will be reached by the parties involved will apply. The goat and sheep breeders had previously reacted to the non-implementation of the agreement signed by the parties involved.

After the decree was issued that provided for 19% goat and sheep milk in Halloumi, cattle breeders said that there would be disastrous consequences in the Halloumi production, while cheesemakers had criticised the Ministry for asking them to stop the production of pure goat and sheep Halloumi in order to increase the quota of goat and sheep milk in the mixed Halloumi to 20%. The Association says that there is no surplus of milk, nor is there any reason to increase the quota of goat and sheep milk in PDO Halloumi.

Meanwhile, in a press release, the Coordinating Committee of Goat and Sheep Breeders says that in view of the meeting scheduled for 4 December between the Cyprus Cheesemakers Association and the President of the Republic, it reiterates its positions saying that it requests the implementation of the decree on Halloumi, dated 20 October 2023, which set the minimum permissible ratio of goat's and sheep's milk in the preparation of Halloumi at 19% for the period 20 October 2023 and 31 January 2024, and at 25% for the rest months until the end of the transition period in July 2024. They also demand the full implementation of the Legislation and the European Regulation that places Halloumi as a PDO from July 2024 onwards and strict, transparent and intensive controls to comply with PDO rules for Halloumi.

(Source: CNA)