Halloumi without … milk – The controversy is over

The Cheesemakers' Association in an attempt to gain impressions came out with the slogan that “numbers do not lie”. As he characteristically states in his last intervention, “the dairies of our place have been promoting halloumi in the four corners of the earth for decades with multiple benefits for Cyprus. As a result, we bring in € 270 million in revenue, creating thousands of jobs and generating income for 15,000 employees. We absorb 100% of the available milk by supporting the agriculture of Cyprus. We invest millions of euros every year in upgrading our units “.

In its first reaction, the Ministry of Agriculture and responding to the relevant announcement of the Cheesemakers seems to contradict with the slogan that “the numbers do not tell the truth” and characteristically points out that “YGAAP is ready to discuss all the elements related to the production of products the name halloumi, and not selectively the data that the Cheesemakers Association wants to present “.

Regarding the Association's appeal to the Minister to submit a proposal for the management of halloumi that satisfies the principles accepted by all stakeholders, YGAAP points out that in the long repeated meetings held on the issue with the participation of all stakeholders , the minister had submitted a series of alternative consensus proposals, which always clashed with the maximalist positions of both the Cheesemakers 'Association and the Pancyprian Cattle Breeders' Organization.

According to the data available to the Authorities and analyzed in detail & nbsp; in the long meetings held between all stakeholders, the total value of exports together with domestic consumption for 2020 reached € 295 million, of which € 266 million relates to exports and € 29 million to domestic consumption. To this end, a total of 44 million kg of halloumi were produced, of which 4.3 million 100% goat-sheep, 26 million mixed halloumi with a minimum proportion of 20% goat-sheep milk and 13.7 million kg of other products bearing the halloumi name such as blocks, slices, burgers, with flavors and light.

In order to produce all the above products either under the PDO or under the trademark, the quota in halloumi does not differ and in order to bear the name, they must have a minimum ratio of 20% goat's and sheep's milk. & Nbsp;

Therefore, to produce the 44 million kilos of halloumi, a total of 305 million liters of milk, 222 million cows' milk and 83 million goats and sheep are needed. It seems that for the observance of even the percentage of 80% cow's milk and 20% goat's and sheep's milk, as far as the name halloumi is concerned, there is a shortage of 15.5 million liters of cow's milk and 14.2 million goat's and sheep's milk. If we take into account that the highest percentage of humidity (50%, instead of 46%) seems to justify about 12.3 million liters, while for the remaining 17.5 million liters, and for the sheep and goats, the minimum percentage does not seem to be observed. , while for the cow there is a suspicion for use of undeclared milk or also use of milk powder. & nbsp;

On the issue of milk powder, of course, the General State Chemist assured that it is not detected if the ratio is less than 3%, however in a milk ratio this percentage exceeds 30%.

Controversy for the stocks

Dispute between the Cheesemakers' Association and the Minister of Agriculture over the issue of halloumi stocks that arose due to the pandemic crisis. Specifically, the Association states that “the repeated statements of the Minister of Agriculture about the unallocated stocks, led to pressure on the cheesemakers from abroad to reduce the price of halloumi”. In response, the Minister notes that the Association itself had recently congratulated and thanked the Minister, before the Agriculture Committee of the Parliament, for his urging to all stakeholders to avoid the discussion about stocks.

Awaiting a meeting at the Presidential Palace

The long-awaited meeting at the Presidential Palace on the issue of halloumi has not been determined yet, as announced by President Anastasiadis immediately after the mobilization of sheep and goats outside the Presidential Palace. demand controls across the market, in an effort to force cheesemakers to increase the price of goat's and sheep's milk. The meeting will be determined as soon as the green light is received from the Legal Service, which is asked to comment on 22 questions posed separately by the Ministries of Commerce and Agriculture regarding the production of products related to both the PDO hall file and trademarks. governing the halloumi. & nbsp;