Newsroom
The halloumi in your fridge is at the center of a growing dispute over how Cyprus can protect its signature cheese—and the livelihoods that depend on it.
The government is preparing changes to halloumi’s protected designation of origin rules amid concerns that the eventual requirement for at least 51% sheep’s and goat’s milk cannot be met without hurting exports, CyBC reported.
For Cyprus, the stakes stretch from livestock farms to cheese factories and overseas supermarket shelves.
Agriculture Minister Christos Senekis has held separate meetings with cheesemakers, cattle farmers, and sheep and goat farmers. He said the aim is to preserve both halloumi’s protected status and its export strength.
But sheep and goat farmers oppose changes to the milk quotas and have warned of a backlash.
The cheesemakers’ association is drafting proposed amendments for government review before they go to European authorities. Changes must be submitted by March 2027, ahead of the transition period ending in June 2029.
No final change has been announced. The challenge is finding a formula that protects halloumi’s identity while keeping its producers in business.
