Government decree reduces goat and sheep milk quota for halloumi PDO production

The Cypriot government has issued a decree reducing the minimum required goat and sheep milk content in Halloumi PDO from 25% to 15%. The measure, signed by Minister of Commerce Michalis Damianos following a request by Minister of Agriculture Maria Panayiotou, is effective from May 15, 2026, until December 31, 2026. The government justifies the decision by citing a 10% reduction in available milk due to livestock culling necessitated by an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. While the Cyprus Cheesemakers Association welcomed the decision as a necessary adjustment based on production data, various farmers' organizations, including the Coordination Committee of the Goat and Sheep Producers' Groups, strongly opposed the move. The producers argue that the process lacked proper consultation, accuse the government of prioritizing cheesemakers' interests, and suggest that the milk production monitoring software is unreliable. They further expressed concerns that such changes undermine the status of Halloumi as a protected designation of origin (PDO) product. Neofytos Neofytou of the 'Voice of Farmers' organization also criticized the lack of clarity regarding compensation criteria for farmers affected by the culling measures.