Republic of Cyprus authorities reduce sheep's milk quota in halloumi due to foot-and-mouth disease outbreak

In the Republic of Cyprus, a decision has been made to temporarily reduce the mandatory share of sheep's milk in halloumi production from 25% to 15% amid the consequences of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. The measure is aimed at preventing disruptions in the production and export of one of the island's main export products.

According to the Fileleftheros publication, the new regulation will come into force on May 15 and will remain in effect until December 31, 2026. The decision was made following a sharp reduction in sheep's milk production caused by the mass culling of animals due to the epidemic.

According to official data, in April, the volume of sheep's milk production decreased by 24.6%, amounting to about 7 million liters. The cause was sanitary measures introduced after the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in February. During this time, more than 40,000 head of small ruminants and about 2.8 thousand cows were destroyed.

Changing the quota was a sensitive step for the Cypriot authorities, as halloumi is protected in the European Union with PDO status — Protected Designation of Origin. This status provides for strict requirements regarding the composition and production technology of the cheese.

Experts note that the temporary reduction in the share of sheep's milk will help maintain supply stability and avoid export problems, but at the same time raises questions about the fulfillment of Cyprus's long-term obligations to the EU regarding halloumi production standards by 2029.

Halloumi remains one of the key products of the Cypriot economy and an important part of the island's agricultural sector. Authorities expect that the temporary relaxations will help the industry cope with the consequences of the epidemic and stabilize production in the coming months.