Cyprus farmers dump milk, light fires in price, production protest
NICOSIA (Reuters) – Cypriot farmers dumped tonnes of milk and lit bales of hay outdoors the presidential palace within the capital Nicosia on Wednesday, in protest at excessive costs and manufacturing points.
Goat and sheep farmers say non-compliance with rules on the manufacturing of halloumi cheese has left them with a glut of milk that they’re unable to promote or use. Excessive costs for animal feed have added to the issues, they are saying.
Halloumi is historically made with goat and sheep milk and is listed as such with a Protected Designation Origin (PDO) standing from the European Union. However more and more, cheesemakers have used extra cows’ milk, thought-about extra palatable for export markets.
The mushy rubbery cheese, a prized Cypriot export, was given its PDO standing final 12 months. It means halloumi can’t be produced and marketed by that title in every other nation.
About 300 farmers, some driving milk tankers, arrived in a convoy on the gated compound within the centre of town the place they spilled milk onto the tarmac and set hearth to hay positioned outdoors the principle entrance.
A consultant of the Cypriot presidency mentioned farmers would obtain compensation by the top of this month.
(Reporting By Yiannis Kourtoglou, writing by Michele Kambas; enhancing by Barbara Lewis)
