Support scheme for cheesemakers with stockpiles of halloumi announced

A support scheme for cheesemakers who, due to the coronavirus pandemic, were left with a large excess stock of halloumi last year was launched on Wednesday by the agriculture ministry.

Applications will be accepted as of Wednesday and until June 15.

Eligible to apply are licensed cheese manufacturing companies which hold a trademark certificate for halloumi for the year 2021, issued by the ministry of commerce. Those companies should also have had over 100,000kg excess supply of the traditional cheese by September 30, 2021.

Furthermore, companies in the milk and dairy products industry who have a relevant approval by the competent authority and on September 30, 2021 also had 100,000kg of excess halloumi stock are also eligible for the scheme.

The ministry clarified that the halloumi should have been produced in accordance with the specification of the Cyprus standards and quality control, the amended provisions of a 2021 relevant decree and the halloumi trademark regulations.

Interested parties can submit their applications, together with all the required supporting documents, to the district agricultural offices of the agriculture department. Beneficiaries will be receive their payments from the department of agriculture by June 30.

The application and related information are on the department of agriculture website http://www.moa.gov.cy/da under the plans section.

For the process of completing and submitting the application, interested parties can contact Agriculture Officer Ourania Menelaou on 22 760482 or [email protected]