Bi-communal group for halloumi would be a positive for both communities

The establishment of a bi-communal group for halloumi would pave the way for the effective implementation of the EU acquis communautaire in all of Cyprus, said the agriculture minister Costas Kadis on Thursday.

“With the establishment of this group and implementation of the regulation, effectively, for the first time, the European acquis will be implemented in all of Cyprus in an effective way, which would be positive for both communities,” said Kadis.

News about the setting up of the group appeared in the Turkish Cypriot newspaper Kibris, which quoted the ‘deputy minister of agriculture’, Emirali Devedji, saying there had been progress in effort to set up the halloumi committee which would consist of five Greek Cypriots and five Turkish Cypriots.

Kadis told Cyprus News Agency that the setting up of the informal group, which will have an advisory role, was stipulated by the Executive Regulation of the European Commission, by which halloumi was registered as PDO (protected designation of origin) and the Commission’s executive decision on the movement of animal products through the Green Line.

“This team will monitor the implementation of the regulation,” said Kadis, who reminded that the Cyprus government had welcomed the establishment of the halloumi team. “It will monitor and submit proposals for the implementation of the regulation,” he added.

Made up of representative of the production and commerce sectors the halloumi team would exchange ideas and share experiences regarding the inspection system for the movement of the PDO product through the Green Line.

Devedji said that the ‘government’ in the north attached great importance to the entry of hellim in the European market as this help the economy.

“The milk produced by livestock farmers, the products of dairy manufacturers and the feed grown by farmers would acquire value,” he told Kibris.