Conflict over halloumi PDO goat and sheep milk content requirements

The Union of Goat and Sheep Producers in Cyprus is strongly opposing proposals to adjust the required 51% goat and sheep milk content for halloumi PDO. Producers argue that lowering this threshold, specifically citing concerns over proposed reductions to 15% for 2025 and 2026, threatens the product's identity and violates European regulations. The Union alleges that the push for lower quotas stems from pressure by the cow milk industry, pointing to a recent 2.1 million euro fine issued to the Pan-Cypriot Organization of Cattle Farmers for competition violations. Producers claim that while exports are rising, there are unexplained discrepancies in milk production data. They emphasize that the 51% requirement is protected by European case law and must remain the standard until the end of the transition period in July 2029. The Union warns that bowing to industrial pressure would lead to the collapse of hundreds of family farms across the Cypriot countryside. Furthermore, they accuse the state of applying inconsistent standards, noting that regulations regarding foot-and-mouth disease are strictly enforced while halloumi PDO standards face attempts at circumvention.