Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Tuesday 17 december 2019
White gold: Cyprus’ halloumi cheese entangled in politics

By MENELAOS HADJICO- cheese reaches Gulf na-
STIS tions through Turkey.
Associated Press Cyprus’ Agriculture Minis-
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — try says it intends to keep
Dairy farmers on Cyprus pushing to clinch the
refer to halloumi as “white exclusive mark and “to
gold.” The salty, rub- solve soon the remaining
bery cheese made from issues relating to the regis-
goats’ and sheep’s milk tration of halloumi/hellim
and prized for its ability to for the benefit of all Cy-
withstand a grill without priot producers.”
melting is the country’s The European Commis-
leading export. sion says it’s in contact
Cypriot authorities have with the Cypriot govern-
spent years trying to get ment and Turkish Cypriots
the European Union to to “ensure an outcome.”
recognize halloumi, or But Cypriot European
hellim in Turkish, as a tradi- Parliament member, Cos-
tional product of the east tas Mavrides, alleges the
Mediterranean island na- Commission is “arbitrarily”
tion. stalling it’s approval for
Receiving the EU’s top halloumi to get the PDO.
quality mark — the “Pro- He said there’s no legal
tected Designation of In this photo taken Wednesday Dec. 11, 2019, Cyprus’ halloumi cheeses are seen after salting at reason for the cheese not
Origin” — would mean a farm in Kampia village near Nicosia, Cyprus. to gain the designation
only halloumi made in Associated Press and that the only step
Cyprus could be mar- that’s left is the green light
keted abroad under that over how to lawfully get mission of letting the PDO understanding. They ac- from the Commission.
name. cheese made in the coun- application for halloumi cuse Greek Cypriots of Mavrides is urging the
The nation’s farmers and try’s breakaway northern grow moldy. The govern- blocking the European Cypriot government to
producers want the Cy- third to foreign markets. ment hopes the new Euro- Commission’s effort to en- take the matter to the EU
prus-specific designation The self-declared Turkish pean Commission seated able halloumi/hellim ex- Court of Justice so hallou-
to keep makers of inferior Cypriot state is recognized last month will find a way ports from the island’s mi/hellim gets the cov-
cheeses in other coun- only by Turkey and goods around the quandary. north. eted moniker.Farmers’
tries from claiming a slice produced there cannot be Halloumi/hellim was put on “Turkish Cypriot producers organizations fully back
of their market of over exported directly. track for an exclusive geo- should be able to export the government’s PDO
200 million euros ($222 Cyprus was split along eth- graphic designation amid PDO-registered hellim/ drive for halloumi. But cu-
million). Cypriot produc- nic lines in 1974 when Tur- much fanfare in 2015, halloumi as they deem riously, a segment of the
ers say demand from key invaded in the wake when relaunched nego- viable,” Turkish Cypriot cheese-making commu-
overseas is projected to of a coup by supporters tiations between the rival Chamber of Commerce nity is voicing its dissent at
hit new highs in the next of union with Greece. The Greek Cypriot and Turkish President Turgay Deniz the cheese clinching the
few years, thanks to heat- country joined the EU in Cypriot leaders brimmed said. “They should not be designation amid con-
tolerant halloumi’s grow- 2004, but EU rules and reg- with hope of delivering a restricted to trading across cerns that this could lead
ing popularity as a meat ulations only apply to the deal to reunify the island as (the dividing line) and via to job losses and shrinking
alternative. southern, Greek Cypriot a two-zone federation. the ports in the south.” revenue. For halloumi/
However, ethnically di- part of the island led by A compromise was struck According to Deniz, 13 Turk- hellim t o secure the des-
vided Cyprus’ complex an internationally recog- for the Bureau V eritas — a ish Cypriot halloumi/hellim ignation, it must conform
politics so far have sty- nized government. A Euro- European body that certi- producers export around to a Cyprus government
mied the bid to protect pean Parliament member fies food and agricultural 30 million euros ($33 million) directive that it must con-
the halloumi name. The from Cyprus has accused products — t o perform worth of the cheese to Tur- tain at least 51% sheep’s
difficulty lies in a dispute the EU’s executive com- checks on halloumi/hellim key and Gulf countries. The and goats’ milk. q
produced on both sides of
the ethnic divide to ensure
it met EU health and safety
standards.
But the peace talks even-
tually collapsed, and the
application has languished
since then.
The Cypriot government
says the agreement fore-
saw the export to Euro-
pean markets of vetted,
Turkish Cypriot-produced
cheese through EU-rec-
ognized ports in the south.
Britain, Sweden and Ger-
In this photo taken Wednesday Dec. 11, 2019, Aphrodite many currently are the top In this photo taken Wednesday Dec. 11, 2019, a baby goat
Philippou, 73, makes Cyprus’ halloumi cheese at a farm in three markets for Cyprus’ sit as the sheep take they food at ‘Riverland’ farm in Kampia
Kampia village near Nicosia, Cyprus. village near Nicosia, Cyprus.
Associated Press halloumi. Associated Press
But Turkish Cypriot authori-
ties say there was no such