Cyprus government presents plan to secure halloumi PDO status by 2029

On October 13, 2026, the Cypriot House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee met to discuss the future of halloumi, a national asset with annual exports exceeding 350 million euros. Andreas Gregoriou, Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, outlined a 10-point strategic plan to ensure compliance with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) standards by the July 2029 deadline. This initiative includes the development of 26 large-scale sheep and goat farming units on state-owned land, each housing over 800 productive animals, to boost local milk production.

Despite the government's optimism, officials and committee members expressed concerns regarding long-standing production chain issues and the feasibility of increasing the goat and sheep milk content to the required 50 percent. While progress is monitored, experts noted that meeting this specific threshold remains challenging. To strengthen enforcement, the State General Laboratory confirmed that a new method for detecting illegal milk powder in halloumi will be implemented by the end of 2026. The committee expects further updates from Agriculture Minister Christos Senekis in future sessions to clarify how the ministry will bridge the current production gaps.