Cyprus government and farmers address foot-and-mouth disease measures and halloumi production

On May 18, 2026, the Cypriot Minister of Agriculture, Maria Panagiotou, met with farmers to discuss managing the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. Authorities agreed on a relaxation package for livestock grazing and movement in regions currently free of the virus, pending negative results from ongoing nationwide sampling. The Director of Veterinary Services is expected to provide final approval on these measures shortly. A contentious issue remains the government's decision to reduce the required goat and sheep milk quota for PDO halloumi production from 25% to 15%, a move opposed by the EKA agricultural organization. The Ministry insists the reduction is necessary due to supply shortages caused by the outbreak but has pledged that cheesemakers will purchase all available milk at existing prices. Furthermore, a decision is pending on the handling of rare animal breeds affected by the disease. The next meeting between the Minister and the stakeholders is scheduled for May 25, 2026, to finalize the relaxation measures.