Halloumi represents 20% of Cypriot exports | Halloumi Cheese
October 19, 2023
Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Petros Xenophontos made statements related to halloumi during his visit to the 4th Halloumi and Trahana Festival that took place in Meniko.
The key points of the minister's statements were as follows:
Halloumi represents approximately 20% of Cyprus’ total exports! Specifically, in the first quarter of 2023 its exports amounted to 111.8 million euros.
The PDO certification awarded to the product by the European Union in October 2021, after many years of efforts, is a very important success for the country, which has been instrumental in promoting halloumi in foreign markets, as the numbers clearly show.
The fact that the PDO label ensures that the halloumi is produced exclusively in Cyprus with a specific production process is a great achievement, which protects the product from the various imitations that sought part of the market.
However, halloumi’s high demand in foreign markets is mainly due to its high quality. The goal of producers should be to maintain the authenticity and high quality of the product, which guarantee its stable or even upward trend.
In particular, the high quality standards of halloumi are due to the excellent quality goat and sheep milk produced in Cyprus, which is particularly important, as it is the guarantee of its success.
Halloumi is the king of Cypriot exports and agricultural production, and has the potential to open the doors of international markets for other Cypriot products, such as trachanas.
