A new decree on the milk quota in the preparation of Halloumi Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), announced the Minister of Agriculture Maria Panagiotou, along with financial measures and tools for the sector.
He also announced the launch of sheep and goat milk counting software in October 2024, with the aim of the quantitative data that will be generated to be factored into the determination of the decrees.
Pending these data, the decree provides for the period from February 1, 2025 to August 31, 2025, for the quota for goat and sheep milk in the halloumi mixture to rise to 30% from the existing 25%.
In the interval of 7 months, the percentages that exist in the Decrees of 2023-2024 remain as a basis.
Therefore, until August 31, 2024 the quota will be at 25%.
For the duration of the dry season there were two Decrees, one Decree setting the quota at 10% and a second at 19%. The Minister stated that utilizing the existing quantitative data of the Ministry of Agriculture, the average of these Decrees, which is 15%, is determined as a new percentage.
The new Decree to be issued will be annual. The Minister noted that the average quota set by it (25%, 15%, 30%), is at 23% while the average quota of the Decrees of 2023-2024 (10%, 19%, 25%) was set at 18%.
As mentioned by Ms. Panagiotou, with the new Decree there is a +5% increase and a reduction of the seasonality period to 5 instead of 6 months.
He also noted that the format of the above Decrees helps all livestock farmers.
In particular, as he said, it helps all goat and sheep farmers, both those who use seasonality and those who produce throughout the year, to be active in a way to further increase their production and to evolve into a production process without seasonality.
It also helps all cow farmers to adapt to the new data that require no further increase in cow's milk intended for halloumi production, and the reduction of the environmental footprint of their units, as defined by European commitments.
Financial measures and tools
At the same time, the Minister announced some generous, as she described, financial measures and tools that the Ministry formulated in collaboration with all those involved in the production of halloumi.
A meeting has already been set for July 16 with goat and sheep farmers and cattle farmers to discuss these motives.
These tools will concern targeted incentives to increase goat and sheep milk production and phase out seasonality. The emphasis will be on the creation of modern infrastructure, genetic improvement, the increase of production units, etc.
They will also involve increasing the number of sheep and goat breeding units and improving the infrastructure of existing livestock units.
They are also incentivized not to further increase the cow's milk associated with halloumi production and to reduce the environmental footprint of their units.
The Minister also announced an increase in controls to identify and report those who affect PDO halloumi, an increase in exports, a tightening of legislation and the creation of a group to monitor the implementation of the measures on a monthly basis with all those involved in halloumi production.
She added that both she and the Deputy Minister in addition to the President will be informed on a six-monthly basis about the progress of the measures.
Also, on an annual basis, a meeting will be held with all those involved under the President of the Republic.
The Minister also noted that a research program has already been signed with TEPAK, the State General Chemistry and the Department of Agriculture which, among other things, will help determine the locality of halloumi, but also a number of other useful elements.
He also emphasized that for 2024, in addition to the incentives and measures that will be given, there are already approved investments in goat and sheep farming for 220 people in the amount of 50 million euros, which are expected to provide significant amounts of goat and sheep milk, which we need, in the short term.
"Halloumi is our common heritage. The state is effectively taking advantage of the transition period and continues to provide targeted support to all those involved in the production of halloumi, in such a way as to maintain it as the main export product and at the same time ensure the preservation of the PDO which strengthens the product's dynamics," said Ms. . Panagiotou.
He added that the state is doing everything possible to ensure the achievement of the aforementioned goals, the implementation of which requires and presupposes cooperation and the desire to find compromise solutions from everyone.
Start of sheep milk counting
The Minister also noted that an important milestone, as she said, in order to achieve the goals is the launch of the goat and sheep milk counting software that is set in October 2024. Therefore, the quantitative data that will be generated from the software, she said, will be an important basis and will be taken into account with the rest of the data to determine the proportions of milk in the Decrees.
He also said that the state is proceeding to take advantage of the five-year transition period until the start of implementation and of the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2021/591, based on which the name halloumi / hellim was registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product, in order to ensure PDO halloumi and maintaining it as the main export product.
He emphasized that all this is always done in a context that ensures the sustainability of all involved.
The achievement of these goals presupposes, he said, the gradual increase in goat and sheep milk production and the gradual abolition of seasonality.
Also the non-further increase in cow's milk available for the production of halloumi.
Also, the increase of controls and the tightening of legislation.
In addition, the strengthening of the quantitative data base for the production of goat and sheep milk.
Source: KYPE
