The opinion of the Legal Service, which reaffirms that the product with the name "halloumi" is the one that meets the requirements of the European regulation, which registered halloumi as a product of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), was on Wednesday before the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture.
The committee held an extraordinary meeting after the meeting, to be held at the Presidential Palace under the President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades, and the Cheese Makers Association.
During today's meeting, which was attended by the Ministers of Agriculture and Commerce, as well as representatives of the Cheese Makers, it was stressed that the government would implement the legislation as indicated by the Legal Service, while an appeal was made to cheese makers to join the project so that they could produce PDO halalumi.
Moreover, assurances were given by the competent Ministry that it is not compulsory for all cheese producers to produce PDO halloumi, since, as the cheese producers claim, there are not enough quantities to produce it, but it was stressed that they will be able to produce another cheese similar to halloumi, giving it any other name they wish.
With regard to procedural issues, such as the improvement of specifications regarding the breeds of animals, moisture, shape, weight, how the halloumi is folded, as well as the registration of cheese makers in the relevant process, are issues that will be resolved in the near future in meetings that the President of the Republic will have with all those involved in the production chain of the product.
In his statements after the meeting, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Costas Kadis, said that "as the government has fought with determination and achieved the registration of our national agricultural product of halalumi, in the same way and with the same determination, will solve all the problems, so that the production of halalumi as a PDO to get on the right track and work, exactly as provided for in the relevant regulations.
He added as "the opinion of the Legal Service was enlightening", to note that "what the President of the Republic in his meeting with the cheese makers made clear is that this legislation should be implemented".
"There are procedural issues, issues that also affect all the sectors, which is why the President wanted to meet the other sectors, so that we can proceed wisely in implementing what is provided for in the legislation," he said. According to the Minister of Agriculture, "there are minor changes that will make it easier for producers to proceed with the production of the product in a more flexible way", adding that "the Ministry will send these changes in the next few days."
Referring to the extension that the European Commission can give for the implementation of the provisions of a dossier, Mr. Kadis said that there is a regulation that gives the possibility for the European Commission to give an extension of up to ten years for the implementation of the provisions of a dossier.
As the competent Minister said, in the case of Cyprus this time expires in 2024, to add that the possibility in exceptional cases - and halloumi is such a case - is being discussed at the European level for the European Commission to have the possibility to give a further extension, i.e. to reach 2029 or 2030.
"This is something that the government is trying to achieve, so that we give even more room for producers to adapt to the new data and it is one of the many actions that the government is taking in order to make the sector work better and facilitate all producers involved in the production of halalouli," he said.
He clarified again that PDO halloumi means specific standards and these standards must be respected by all, noting that "if there is a surplus of milk, another cheese can be produced, which everyone can call it what they want."
During the Agriculture Committee session, examples were given of cheeses that are similar to Halloumi and which maintain very high prices on the market, while it was stressed that this can be done with cheeses that may be produced by Cyprus with cow's milk, without violating the legislation.
Kadis stressed that "there are possibilities and solutions as long as there is good will", adding that "it is these solutions that the President will seek in meetings with all those involved in the production chain of the product".
The Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Giannakis Gavriel, stressed that the law must be implemented immediately, as well as the opinion of the NY must also be implemented, noting that the Parliament's demand is that the controls be intensified.
He said it is not mandatory for everyone to produce PDO halloumi. "Let them call it something else since they cannot meet the PDO standards. We will insist on this until we exhaust all the possibilities," he said.
"It was said that there are no large quantities so that only PDO halloumi can be produced. It has never been said that Cyprus should produce only PDO halloumi. There are other species that are similar to halloumi and it is not necessary to produce all quantities as PDO," he said.
He appealed to cheese dairies to join the project so that they can produce PDO halloumi. He expressed confidence that the economic benefit to the Republic of Cyprus will be much more than what is expected.
DISY MP, Charalambos Pazaros, said his party is calling for the implementation of the Legal Service's opinion, noting that he "considers the issue closed."
According to Pazaros, "all the questions and opposing views that were expressed from time to time have been clarified."
He welcomed the President's initiative to resolve the whole issue and said he expected all parties involved to comply with the content and suggestions of the opinion.
"Otherwise," he said, "the long struggle, which was given for the protection of halalumi as a national product, will become meaningless and without any benefit."
DIKO MP, Christos Orphanides, said the government must immediately implement what the Legal Service is called upon to do and has given its opinion, adding that "with the way the government is handling halloumi, in the end we will lose halloumi and sell white noro, not white halloumi."
"For years the relevant Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce have assured the Agriculture Commission that efforts are being made and the legislation will be implemented. Now with its whole attitude and behaviour the government is giving us legitimate concerns. We should all be worried because as far as halloumi is concerned, its future is uncertain," he said.
PPP MP, Alekos Tryfonidis, said that "it is clear to the Cypriot people that no other product than PDO halloumi can circulate after the implementation of the legislation", noting that "anything else circulating will have a different name and content".
He called on the Competition Protection Committee "if it wants to perform its role towards the Cypriot society and citizens then inspections must be carried out swiftly and fines must be imposed so as not to perpetuate obscenity at the expense of citizens."
Source: KYPE
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