NICOSIA – The valued Protection Designation of Origin (PDO) for Cyprus’ halloumi means other countries can’t claim it makes the product, but requirements for how it’s made and raw materials cost will bring price jumps.

Agriculture Minister Costas Kadis said getting the European Union’s brand protection means cheese factories and supermarkets have to comply with manufacturing specifications.

He told the Cyprus News Agency that most cheese factories have been certified by the international organization Bureau Veritas and have already started producing PDO halloumi.

He said that brings added value in both price and reputation. “My assessment is that we will see an increase in sales of the product, but possibly we will also see an increase in the price of the product,” he said.

He said a price hike was overdue and that halloumi makers were bearing costs of raw materials without being able to pass it on, adding:  “Halloumi retaining the same price is not something that would have been normal.”

The minister also estimated that based on the increase given to sheep and goat farmers (30-35 cents), the final increase in the price of halloumi per kilo will be less than 1 euro (99 cents) for consumers, some 20 cents for a 200-gram package.

He said there’s been keen interest in new farms with growing applications being submitted to the Agriculture Ministry, some for sheep and goat farms and that five applications to make halloumi came from the occupied Turkish-Cypriot side that are being evaluated.

Pancyprian Association of Supermarkets President Andreas Hadjadamou, told CNA that supermarkets will now only accept PDO halloumi and that  an informal transitional period of 10-15 days was given to sell off the old stock.