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- Ελληνικά
The registration of the PDO steel flour in 2021 was an important milestone, leading to an increase in production and value of the product.
To (a) maintain steel flour as the main export product and, at the same time, (b) maintain the PDO, which ensures the dynamics of the product, are the key objectives of the Government.
The State is making use of the five-year transitional period until the implementation and the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2021/591, under which the designation of halloumi/hellim was registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product, to ensure the PDO halloumi and its retention as the main export product. All this in a framework that ensures the viability of all parties involved.
Achieving these objectives requires. [*]No further increase in the amount of cow's milk used for the production of halal milk. [*]The increase in controls and the tightening of legislation. [*]The strengthening of the quantitative database on sheep's and goat's milk production.
An important milestone for the achievement of the objectives is the launch of the sheep and goat milk counting software, scheduled for October 2024. As such, the quantitative data generated by the software will form an important basis and will be factored in with the other data to determine the milk ratios in the Orders.
Until this important quantitative data capture is in place, and until the financial incentives are in place that will provide momentum and further increase sheep and goat milk, the following percentages are set:
Specifically:
For the period 1 February 2025 to 31 August 2025, the quota is increased to 30%. This means that we are proceeding with an increase rate of +5%, since before the rate was 25% (25%+5%)
In the interim period of seven (7) months, we are keeping the rates that exist in the 2023-2024 Ordinances as a basis.
In the interim period of seven (7) months, we are keeping the rates that exist in the 2023-2024 Ordinances as a basis.
Therefore, by August 31, 2024 we will have a quota at 25%.
For the dry season period we had two Orders, one Order setting the quota at 10%, and a second at 19%. Using existing quantitative data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (MDAE), the average of these Orders, which is 15%, is set as the new quota.
It is noted that the new Decree, which will be issued, will be annual, and the average quota set by it (25%, 15%, 30%) is at 23%, while the average quota of the 2023-2024 Decrees (10%, 19%, 25%) was set at 18%. Therefore, with the new Ordinance we have a +5% increase and a reduction of the seasonality period to five (5) months instead of six (6) months.
The form of the above Ordinances helps all our farmers:
[*]All sheep and goat farmers, both those who use seasonality and those who produce throughout the year, to be active in a way that will increase their production even more and transform them into a production process without seasonality. [*] All cow farmers should adapt to the new situation, which requires no further increase in cow's milk intended for the production of halal, and a reduction in the environmental footprint of their farms, in line with our European commitments.
In order to achieve the above, it was decided that:
- The Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with all those involved in the production of steel milk, should finalise the formulation of generous financial measures and instruments. Already, on 16 July, a meeting has been scheduled with sheep and goat farmers and cow farmers to discuss these incentives. These tools will concern:
a. Targeted incentives to increase sheep and goat milk production and to phase out seasonality. The emphasis will be on creating modern infrastructure, genetic improvement, increasing production units, etc.
b]b. Increase the number of sheep and goat farms and improve the infrastructure of existing livestock farms.
c. Incentives to stop the further increase of cow's milk associated with haloumi production and reduce the environmental footprint of their farms.
- Increase controls to identify and denounce those who damage PDO haloumi.
- Increase exports.
- Strengthen legislation.
- Establishment of a monitoring group to monitor the implementation of the measures on a monthly basis with all those involved in the production of hallemol.
- The Minister of Agriculture and the State Secretary to the President will be informed on a six-monthly basis on the progress of the measures.
- On an annual basis, a meeting with all stakeholders will be held under the President of the Republic.
It is also noted that a research project has already been signed with the CFCA, the State General Chemistry Department and the Department of Agriculture which, among other things, will help to determine the localisation of halflour and a number of other useful elements.
I think it is important to mention that for 2024, in addition to the incentives and measures that we will provide, there are already approved investments in sheep and goat farming for 220 people amounting to 50 million euros, which we estimate that in the short term will provide significant quantities of sheep and goat milk, which we need.
Halloumi is our common heritage. The State is actively taking advantage of the transition period and continues to provide targeted support to all those involved in the production of halloumi in such a way as to maintain it as the main export product and, at the same time, to ensure the preservation of the PDO, which enhances the product's potential.
The State is doing everything possible to ensure that the above-mentioned objectives are achieved, the realisation of which requires and presupposes cooperation and a willingness to find compromises on the part of all concerned.
It is reiterated that the quantitative data obtained from the software will form an important basis and will be taken together with the other data to determine the milk ratios in the Ordinances.
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Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
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