State wants strong halloumi, subsidies available

The state’s aim is to maintain halloumi as its main agricultural export product, strengthening its protected designation of origin (PDO) and keeping everyone involved viable, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said on Wednesday.

At the same time, she reminded producers of their eligibility to dip into €10 million worth of subsidies.

Panayiotou, who is seeing organisations involved in the production and promotion of halloumi, on Wednesday met the goat and sheep farmers.

She said various demands already put forward are being examined and a committee had been set up to facilitate finding solutions.

Panayiotou added that checks have been intensified and efforts are being made to make legislation stricter.

The minister reminded that the decrees on the production of halloumi came into force on September 6, meaning the amount of goat and sheep milk will be measured.

Producers also had access to €10 million worth of subsidies for renewable energy and livestock heaters to increase the production of milk.

Meanwhile, cow farmers voiced dissatisfaction with the regulation for PDO halloumi, saying the south and north were not implementing it in the same way and that their exports and revenue were dropping.

Chairman of the coordinating committee of cow farmers Nikos Papakyriakou said that although the PDO regulation was the same for both sides, in the south producers are adhering to guidelines while in the north they are being allowed to use any ratio of milk.

He added that the cow farmers have requested a meeting with the president and the agriculture minister and would be sending memoranda to the president and the EU over the next few days.