"About two months ago, our application was published in the official gazette of the European Commission, effectively paving the way for the registration of halloumi as a PDO."
Welcoming the opening of the Pancyprian Agricultural - Agricultural Fair and Garden Fair, the Minister of Agriculture said that this means great commercial value, penetration in international markets, protection from imitation and protection of our cheesemakers from international unfair competition, while the occupation regional development through the creation of new small and medium-sized enterprises and consequently new jobs ”.
Mr. Kougialis stated that “it is not only the halloumi that claims the seal of quality of the EU and applications were submitted for the Savior's colocasia as PDO and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for lountza, ham, Pitsilias sausage, pafitiko sweet field rose ”.
As he said, “the labeling of our products either as PDO or PGI gives identity to the products by improving their recognizability in foreign markets, increases their added value for the benefit of the producer and our agricultural economy, enriches our tourist product and includes the Cyprus on the gastronomic map of Europe ".
The Minister of Agriculture, referring to the absorption of the resources of the Rural Development Program (RDP) 2007 - 2013, said that “in March 2013 it was at 52% having absorbed only € 160 million from the € 300 million and more available million of the RDP.
He added that "the payments of the Program have been frozen since June 2012 with a very strong risk of losing European credits for Cyprus, but" through coordinated efforts, we evaluated the data of the time and proceeded to change the co-financing rates from 50-50 at 85 for the EU and 15 for Cyprus ”.
In his greeting, Mr. Kougialis said that “with hard work and cooperation of all involved, including our own farmers, we managed today and under difficult economic conditions, three months before its final expiration to discuss a full 100% absorption of credits and full utilization of European funds for the benefit of our rural economy ”.
He also stated that "under very difficult conditions the absorption of the Fisheries Development Program was complete" in the framework of which "we increased by € 5 million per year the absorption of the Direct Payments dossier thus having the opportunity to give targeted aid to vulnerable sectors of our agriculture ”.
"With coordinated action, we have been able to minimize the impact of the Russian embargo on our citrus exports to Russia by securing the maximum possible EU assistance, and we have not hesitated to provide state aid when absolutely necessary," he said.
The Minister of Agriculture said that "the primary production sector and the agri-food sector should be modern, adapted to the new requirements of an environment that combines knowledge, education and training, access to information and access to the market." .
"We want to give new life to the sector and that is why we are proceeding with the reform of our rural economy with our rural polarity being redesigned based on real needs and real beneficiaries, with the basic criterion of the domestic and international market and the goal of sustainable rural development. "The new Rural Development Program 2014-2020 is a cornerstone of our policy", he noted.
He added that "there has been an increase in the Fisheries program from € 19 to € 40 million, while measures have already been announced and at the same time we are rationalizing Agricultural Insurance, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the Paying Agency in cooperation with the new leadership." of KOAP but also in the submission of a bill for the compilation of the Register of Farmers ”.
The Minister of Agriculture said that "with the new Rural Development Program - 50% of the available credits, will be allocated for the strengthening and promotion of the quality characteristics of Cypriot agricultural products".
He added that "two of our main export products, potatoes and citrus fruits, continue to be produced under the Integrated Production Management System with new, stricter safety conditions for the consumer."
In addition, he continued, "the strengthening of organic production is high on our list of priorities by providing incentives to increase the production of organic products while for the first time the production of local traditional products is strengthened."
Concluding and referring to the Agricultural Fair, he said that "it has a lot to offer to all stakeholders, in rural development and in the development of our countryside".
Source: KYPE