Source: CNA
"The slight increase recorded in the price of the halloumi cheese is justified," Minister of Agriculture Costas Kadis said on Thursday.
The Minister was replying to questions from the media on the sidelines of a seminar entitled “The control and certification of dairy products, the halloumi case” that took place in Limassol.
Regarding the increase in the price of halloumi, the Minister said that it is justified adding that it should have been the case already a few months ago when there was a rapid increase in raw materials, animal feed and energy.
But it is happening now, he said, adding that this is how healthy markets function.
"All cheeses in Europe had an increase in price except for the Cypriot halloumi, so I believe that with this slight increase there is essentially a correction and in no way a distortion", he explained.
Replying to other questions, he said that consumers will have noticed so far that on the market there is only halloumi that has been produced by certified cheese factories and underlined that "at the moment we focus on implementing the regulations as best as possible".
Moreover, in his speech at the conference, the Minister said that the registration of halloumi as a PDO product (protected designation of origin) will help protect it from imitation and from attempts to usurp its reputation.
"With the registration, both the value and the demand of the authentic and now certified product are expected to increase, with a positive impact for the further development of our agricultural and livestock sector and the economy of our country in general," he said.
He also underlined that the protection of the PDO is the key to ensuring the quality, authenticity and marketing of the product, both in Europe and in third countries, with which the European Union concludes relevant agreements.
