Halloumi timetable will be stuck to says Kadis (Updated)

The production of halloumi from all cheese factories in Cyprus will begin at the start of next month based on the specifications of the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) following an agreement reached on Monday between the agriculture ministry and cheesemakers.

Speaking in Argaka, Paphos, Agriculture Minister Costas Kadis he had met in the morning with the association of cheesemakers to finalise the details, which were being sent to the competent state services for publication in the Official Gazette by the end of the week “so that all cheese factories can enter the halloumi production process based on PDO specifications”.

“That’s what we’re trying to do, it’s not a matter of going three days ahead or three days behind. The point is, in an integrated and structured way, that all the cheese factories of Cyprus enter the PDO halloumi production process,” Kadis said.

He said cheesemakers were on board with the same goal.

According to CNA, the president of the Association of Cheesemakers Giorgos Petrou, said that everything had been concluded and all the changes have been completed on 13 outstanding points.

Petrou said that milk prices would increase on the basis of the framework agreement for the production of halloumi signed in July.

An agreement reached between cheese makers, farmers and the ministry in July saw a transitional period agreed where the halloumi will have 10 per cent goat and sheep milk until January 2023. After that, the specifications will jump to 20 per cent, and thereafter that portioning will increase by five per cent a year – reaching 50 per cent, as defined by the PDO, by 2029.

The specific framework also determined the prices of sheep’s milk between €1.35 – €1.45 per litre and goat’s milk, between €0.80 – €0.90 per litre. Regarding cow’s milk, he said the price would be determined after consultation between the parties involved, with a minimum increase of €0.05 per litre.

Petrou said some issues related to the procedures that some cheese factories must follow in order to be legal have been completed and the certifications from the international organisation Bureau Veritas were awaited.

He said every effort was being made to start the production of halloumi as a PDO from September 1 or as close to it as possible.

Kadis said earlier on Monday that the September 1 deadline must be adhered to but not everyone thought it possible as it’s only three days away.

Answering a claim by head of the Cyprus Retailers Association Marios Antoniou that this important deadline had not been sufficiently communicated to various stakeholders or to the public, Kadis said the information had been sent out in two letters dated August 19.

But Antoniou said he had visited a major supermarket chain on Monday morning and seen non-PDO halloumi deliveries being made.

He questioned whether the timeframe for withdrawal was realistic, but the minister remained adamant that systematic checks in supermarkets will begin as planned.

Antoniou said it would be impossible for businesses to abide by the law by Thursday.

In answer to a question of what was to be done with the halloumi products to be withdrawn, Kadis said on CyBC radio they could possibly be sold with altered labelling and there was some possibility of a short extension for the relabelling process to be done.

It remains to be determined whether relabelling would be carried out at the producers’ following the non-PDO halloumi being returned by seller, or on-site at supermarkets.

Despite claims that some major cheese producers are not ready to make PDO halloumi, Kadis said they must “hurry up” and do so.

A meeting is set for Friday between the minister and farming organisations.