Agriculture Ministry to tighten penalties for halloumi PDO violations

09:19 - 09 October 2024

Economy

The authorities plan to further tighten the penalties for those who do not comply with the protected designation of origin (PDO) specifications for halloumi cheese.

Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou told the House Agriculture Committee that she is not satisfied with the existing legislation, as "the tools do not exist" to be able to act as a deterrent in cases of non-compliance with PDO specifications.

She said she was discussing the introduction of additional fines and penalties with the Law Commissioner, adding that she was hoping to have the final draft for legal and technical review by the end of this year.

The minister also acknowledged that there is a very serious problem outside of Cyprus regarding the halloumi PDO, explaining that the authorities have been using the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), with complaints submitted to 12 European countries in 2024 so far.

Panayiotou said that there were positive results and there were cases where halloumi cheese was taken off the shelves.

The Minister said that the non-compliant products that do not meet the specifications have been seized and explained that names are not being released as it is not a matter of public health but non-compliance with the quota. She also told MPs that an internal committee was set up at the Ministry to coordinate all the departments and services involved.

MPs raised the subject of tight controls and in particular the issue of the production of halloumi cheese in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus.

Agriculture Ministry to tighten penalties for halloumi PDO violations

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